San Jose a Spanish galleon lost in Colombian waters in 1708

ICOMOS offers its expertise to Colombian heritage authorities

Following decades of extensive searches, the San Jose, heralded as the ‘holy grail’ of shipwrecks, was discovered in 2015. Subsequent underwater surveys revealed strong evidence supporting the claim that the wreck of the Spanish galleon had been located. In April of this year calls for interest in the project to recover the wreck’s cultural material were sent to various heritage bodies, including ICOMOS.

The International Committee on the Underwater Cultural Heritage (ICOMOS-ICUCH), supported by ICOMOS’ Secretary General, responded positively to the project’s objectives that benefit the Colombian public and offered its expertise in ensuring that the project follows the international principles stated within the ICOMOS Charter on the Protection and Management of Underwater Cultural Heritage (Sofia, 1996): https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Charters/underwater_e.pdf

French- https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Charters/underwater_f.pdf

Spanish - https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Charters/underwater_sp.pdf

Picture above: painting from Samuel Scott (1702-1722), "Action off Cartagena, May 28, 1708", before 1722