Archaeologists Identify 300-Year-Old Portuguese Treasure Shipwreck Off Madagascar

After a decades-long search, archaeologists have confirmed the discovery of the Nossa Senhora do Cabo, a Portuguese treasure ship that was captured by pirates and sunk off the coast of Madagascar in 1721. The shipwreck, located near the island of Nosy Boraha (historically known as Île Sainte-Marie), was identified by a team from the Center for Historic Shipwreck Preservation.

A Ship Laden with Treasure

The Nossa Senhora do Cabo was carrying a substantial cargo when it was attacked. This included gold, silver, and precious gems – diamonds, emeralds, and pearls – with an estimated value of $138 million in today’s currency . The ship was also transporting the outgoing Portuguese Viceroy of India and the Archbishop of Goa.

Pirate Capture and Sinking

The ship fell victim to the notorious pirate Olivier Levasseur, nicknamed “The Vulture,” and John Taylor. Levasseur captured the vessel while it was returning from India, then sailed it approximately 600 kilometers west before scuttling it . The pirates looted much of the ship’s valuable cargo, including gold, silver, silk, and precious stones, and reportedly returned the Viceroy to Lisbon in exchange for a ransom.

Archaeological Evidence and Discovery

Archaeologists engaged in over two decades of fieldwork, beginning in 1999, to identify the wreck, which was among several 17th and 18th-century shipwrecks in the harbor of Îlot Madame, a little island near Nosy Boraha . Divers have recovered more than 3,300 artifacts from the wreckage . Key evidence supporting the identification includes religious artifacts of Goan origin, exported Chinese porcelain, coinage, cowrie shells, construction materials consistent with Portuguese East Indian design, and gold coins engraved with Arabic script .

Unanswered Questions and Future Research

The fate of the Archbishop of Goa and the approximately 200 enslaved Africans aboard the ship remains unknown. Legend persists that Levasseur encoded the location of the remaining treasure in a cryptogram, which treasure hunters continue to attempt to decipher . Further archaeological investigation of the site promises to shed more light on this pivotal moment in maritime history, piracy, global trade, and colonial power in the western Indian Ocean .