Search continues for the wreck of the Yellow Lion ship

Underwater archaeologists are searching for the wreck of the ‘Yellow Lion’, the first ship of the Polish Navy. The research covers a 650-metre stretch near the Wisłoujście Fortress. According to historical sources, it is in this place. In 1628, the Swedes sunk the “Yellow Lion”.

“The Yellow Lion” was the first ship built entirely in Poland. It was built in 1622. It was equipped with 10-12 guns, and its crew consisted of up to 40 sailors. On 28 November 1627, together with a squadron of Polish ships, the unit took part in the victorious battle of Oliwa. Unfortunately, during the attack, which took place on 6 July 1628, the ship was hit by the Swedes with an incendiary bullet in the gunpowder magazine, as a result of which it exploded.

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[blockquote style=”2″]”So far, in the area around the fortress, no wider efforts have been made to identify and locate underwater archaeological sites, either along the Martwa Wisla or the two rings of moats surrounding the fortress itself. Only the foundations of the Carre fort were inspected. Due to the contemporary intensive use of the indicated research area, the execution of the planned research is important for the preservation of the archaeological heritage.” – said Waldemar Ossowski, Director of the MHMG[/blockquote].

The whole area around the Wisłoujście Fortress was surveyed with sonar by workers of the Maritime Institute in Gdańsk. The results of these works made it possible to select potential locations where the wreck of the “Yellow Lion” may be found. On 28 August divers will start their work and their task will be to verify the selected locations.

[blockquote style=”2″]”The main focus of our activities was the reconnaissance of potential sites and objects of historical interest using hydroacoustic equipment. The Maritime Institute in Gdańsk has just completed it. Thanks to the results obtained from the sonars we will soon carry out underwater inspections, but they will be limited to the making of measurement, drawing and photographic documentation and, in the case of finding wooden structures, taking samples for dendrochronological analyses. The monuments themselves will not be lifted from the bottom,” adds Ossowski[/blockquote].

The Wisłoujście Fortress, in the vicinity of which a Polish ship was supposed to have been sunk, is also an extremely interesting historical site. The four-bastion brick fort – carré, built between 1586 and 1602, and the surrounding five-bastion earth fort, called the Eastern Entrenchment, built between 1624 and 1626, have survived to the present day.

Due to its location as a defence and control point over the Vistula estuary, the fortress repeatedly played an extremely important role in conflicts waged by the Republic of Poland. Many call it one of the most outstanding objects of military architecture.

The search for the ship is being carried out as part of a project co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Source: strefahistorii.pl