The first artifacts of this season were found on the English merchant ship that sank in the 19th century near the Gogland Island in the Gulf of Finland. There are tableware, samples of glass products and small bottles with “medicine for all illnesses”. The work is carried out by specialists of the Underwater Researches Center of the Russian Geographical Society.
The two-mast merchant vessel was discovered by researchers of the Underwater Researches Center of the Russian Geographical Society near the Russian island of Gogland at a depth of 60 meters in 2017. It sank in 180 kilometers from St. Petersburg. Scientists believe that the ketch, loaded with dishes, went to Russia from England and crashed in the second half of the 19th century. You can learn more about the history of the ship in our special project Faience Diplomacy.
b26859d85867.jpg
For several days, the divers dived in turn to a depth of 60 meters to the ship, used a pneumatic injector to erase the silt accumulated over 150 years on the upper deck. In the course of the work, the specialists determined that the dimensions of the hatch, located closer to the middle of the deck, are much more than 70 centimeters, as previously assumed. They managed to dismantle the shields covering this hatch and extract the general cargo - huge crates with various utensils. Samples of glass products were raised from the bottom - there were figured sauceboats, a decanter and a cake vase. Among the personal belongings of the team were found two light green bottles with the so-called “Royal Medicine” - the German “cure for all diseases” well-known in the 18th century.
1b4b3a3ddc88.jpg
We would like to recall that the expedition of the Underwater Researches Center of the RGS started on June 25. At the end of the current stage of work, if weather conditions permit, specialists are going to enter the residential premises of the object. Integrated work of the Uderwater Researches Center will last until August 10. These will be the deepest researches in the history of Russian archeology.
6edeb8cbd3fe.jpg
The expedition is assisted by graduates of the educational program Okeanavtika, launched by the Underwater Researches Center of the Russian Geographical Society, together with the All-Russian Children's Center Orlyonok. Fifteen young researchers, who first passed the correspondence qualifying course, and then the full-time shift at Orlyonok, work together with experienced scientists to study the secrets of the Eastern Baltic. They have already established the life of a children's camp, press services camps, explored the very north of the island, the former frontier post and the lower lighthouse, Chertova Gorka and the 7th Bay.
ae425f6bc82f.jpg
