Unusual find from a 17th century shipwreck - video

A very unusual find has fallen prey to Dutch archaeologists. In the place where a wreck from the 17th century was located they discovered under a layer of sand… a beautiful dress and elements of women’s clothing. This unusual situation took place a year ago off the coast of Texel Island, one of the most seaward pieces of land in the north of the Netherlands.

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When archaeologists explored the wreck of a three-masted ship in 2015, they didn’t even expect what an unusual and unusual find was waiting for them hidden under a layer of sand. At the same time, a chest full of gold or even the wreck of a u-boat are quite common discoveries and cannot compare in the scale of uniqueness with… the contents of a 17th century lady’s wardrobe! Yes, my dears. The property of a lady from the upper classes who lived four centuries ago has been well preserved under the sand all this time and today constitutes a collection of unique exhibits.

According to experts, the material from which the dress was made is of the highest quality, which contributed greatly to the preservation of such a good condition of the find. The analysis of the found objects allowed also to determine that they certainly belonged to a person of noble birth, who could afford things of the best quality. Among the excavated objects, apart from the dress in question, there are also combs, fragments of fine Italian ceramics, objects made of silver and personal effects.

Another interesting fact is that on some of the leather book covers found, there is the coat of arms of the English Stuart family, which had strong connections with the Dutch royal family.

The find was kept a closely guarded secret until 14 April this year and only now has the information been released to the media. The year that has elapsed since the discovery of the four-century-old garment has been used meticulously by the restoration team, who have done their utmost to restore the fished items to their best condition. Now it can be admired by anyone who visits the exhibition “Garde Robe” at the Kaap Skil Museum, which opens on 16 May.

Scientists themselves say that finds like the one we are dealing with bring more questions than answers. On the one hand, they are a great source of information, but on the other, they open up a whole range of new things to be explored. Often creating new or pioneering solutions.

That’s the beauty of science and exploration. The more you know, the more you are able to discover. In turn, the more you discover, the more questions arise and things to explore. It’s a never-ending race towards knowledge in which there are no winners, and the greatest reward is the participation itself.

Source: dutchnews.nl