Final section of the Ses Fontanelles shipwreck recovered after four months of work

The final piece of the vessel that sank 1,700 years ago was brought ashore on Monday, 29th of June. A new phase of conservation, restoration and research into this heritage asset now begins.

The Council of Mallorca has completed the final stage in the recovery of the Ses Fontanelles shipwreck, bringing to a close a complex underwater archaeological operation carried out over the past four months in partnership with the University of the Balearic Islands, the University of Barcelona and the University of Cádiz. The operation marks a milestone for Mediterranean underwater archaeology. With the recovery of the final section of the vessel’s hull from the sea, an intervention that began in early March has now concluded, having successfully retrieved the ship’s remains in their entirety to ensure their conservation and study.

The operation to recover this final section began at six o’clock on Monday morning. After the structure was lifted using a system of flotation bags, it was towed at approximately one knot from the Ses Fontanelles site to the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa. There, a crane lifted it out of the water and placed it on a low-loader truck for transport to specially prepared facilities at San Carlos Castle. It will remain submerged there for approximately a year and a half in desalination tanks.

The first of the two final sections of the bottom of the hull had already been successfully recovered last Friday. Both sections measure approximately 12 metres in length and two metres in width. Before being lifted, the timbers were secured with straps and a net to a specially designed metal support structure, preventing any deformation or damage during the recovery process.

The President of the Council of Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, highlighted that “today marks the culmination of a historic operation for the heritage of Mallorca and the Mediterranean. We have managed to save a unique archaeological treasure thanks to the tireless work of an extraordinary team and institutional collaboration. This shipwreck will enable us to continue discovering what navigation was like more than 1,700 years ago and will strengthen Mallorca’s role as a benchmark in the research and conservation of underwater heritage.”

For her part, the Vice-President of the Council of Mallorca and Councillor for Culture and Heritage, Antònia Roca, stressed that “the recovery of the shipwreck is not the end of the project, but the beginning of a new stage of research and conservation. The effort made over these months ensures that future generations will be able to learn about and study an exceptional find that forms part of our historical legacy.”

The archaeological campaign, which began on 10 March, involved a team of around 15 people working seven days a week to progressively dismantle the vessel. The recovery was carried out from top to bottom and from the outside towards the inside of the hull, successively removing the keelsons, frames and upper planks until only the final two large sections of the bottom of the vessel remained, which were recovered in recent days.

At the same time, archaeologists excavated an area extending six to seven metres around the wreck, enabling them to recover numerous materials of extraordinary scientific value. These finds contribute to a better understanding of the vessel’s history and the circumstances of its sinking in the 4th century AD.

Among the most significant discoveries are several almost complete amphorae that formed part of the cargo; fragments of decorated fine tableware; remains of North African cooking pottery; a cooking pot used on board; animal remains; four anchors, some still preserving the original knots on their anchor rings, nearly 90 metres of ropes belonging to the vessel; two complete plant-fibre baskets; a pulley; and a sounding lead, used to measure depth and assess the nature of the seabed.

The remains of the ship’s sails, found beside the port side and partly beneath the hull, are also of particular importance. Although the linen fabric is severely deteriorated, researchers have been able to document how the sails were made by joining different panels of cloth, as well as the system of ropes, knots and reinforcements that gave them strength.

The project’s scientific co-director, Miguel Ángel Cau, of the University of Barcelona, explained: “We have achieved the main objective we set ourselves five years ago: to recover the shipwreck in its entirety in order to guarantee its preservation. At the same time, the excavation of the surrounding area has enabled us to discover exceptional materials that confirm the singular nature of Ses Fontanelles. Now begins an equally important stage: laboratory work, in which every item will be studied in order to continue reconstructing the history of this vessel.”

The recovery is a key milestone in the ARQUEOMALLORNAUTA project, led by the Council of Mallorca together with the University of the Balearic Islands, the University of Barcelona and the University of Cádiz. The project has also received support from the Spanish Navy Diving Centre.

Following the desalination process, the timbers will be transferred to the ARQVAtec laboratory at the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Cartagena. There, they will undergo a complex restoration treatment involving PEG impregnation and freeze-drying. At the same time, specialists will study the vessel’s naval architecture, identify the different wood species, carry out radiocarbon dating and other analyses, and catalogue, classify and document all recovered materials.

The recovery of the vessel concludes one of the most complex stages of the project, but a long scientific process now begins, which will continue to reveal the secrets of one of the best-preserved and most important Late Antique shipwrecks in the western Mediterranean.

The Council of Mallorca will present an exhibition dedicated to the Ses Fontanelles shipwreck at the La Misericòrdia Cultural Centre. From November onwards, the public will be able to learn more about the history of this exceptional wreck, its archaeological context and the scientific process developed following its discovery. Through this exhibition, the Council of Mallorca aims to bring this jewel of Mallorca’s cultural heritage closer to the public.