The international diving group Badewanne has discovered the year from which the unique shipwreck that lies at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The wreck of a Dutch Fluyt was found last year at a depth of 85 meters and is extremely well preserved. While filming the documentary ‘Fluit’ , Badewanne found the ship’s dulcimer, which was lying face down on the bottom of the sea. It contains an engraving with the year 1636 and an image of a swan, as announced today by the diving group together with maritime archaeologists from Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden.
The swan probably refers to the name of the ship. During the recordings, new measurements were also taken to determine the size of the ship. Together with maritime archaeologists Minna Koivikko from the Finnish Heritage Agency, Martijn Manders from the Cultural Heritage Agency and flute expert and maritime archaeologist Niklas Eriksson from Stockholm University, further research will be conducted to uncover the history surrounding the wreck. In the historical documentary ‘Fluit’ , the specialists and the investigation into the shipwreck are closely followed. The documentary examines the origin and mission of this Fluyt, the identity of its crew and her fateful voyage in the Baltic Sea.
Important trade route for the Netherlands in the 17th century
Since the Middle Ages, the Baltic Sea has been one of the world’s most important trade routes. In the seventeenth century, it largely came into the hands of the merchant fleet of the Dutch Republic. The profitable Baltic Sea trade gave the country the financial means to further expand its trade network and, for example, establish the Dutch East India Company. One type of ship was used extensively in the Baltic Sea trade: the Fluyt, a three-masted ship with a very large cargo capacity. These ships were usually unarmed and had a small garrison, resulting in greater profits.
Fluyts also had living and sleeping quarters that were shared by the entire crew. This was quite unusual in the hierarchical maritime world of the time. Despite the fact that these wooden flutes were ubiquitous in the Baltic Sea trade from the late sixteenth to mid eighteenth centuries, few ships have survived the test of time.
Maritime archaeologist Niklas Eriksson:
“The identities of ships are often revealed by the engraved motifs on the dulcimer. Fragments of such motifs have been found before, but now that we have one that is completely intact, it is possible to identify the ship in the same way that people of the seventeenth century would have. The ship was probably called the ‘Swan’ and was built in 1636. Hopefully we will also be able to find out the coat of arms of the home port on further investigation.”
Maritime archaeologist Martijn Manders is also delighted with the discovery:
“These new finds are a great starting point for new research. Now that we know the year of construction of the ship, 1636, and an indication of the name of the ship, we can more easily determine the historical context. We may even be able to locate and identify those on board. These new finds also help us unravel the secrets of the flute: a simple, widely used vessel that created the right conditions for early globalization. The flute is an example of typical Dutch shipbuilding and symbolizes the flourishing maritime trade of that time.”
