[by Javier de Blas in Puerto de Mazarron, Spain] This Phoenician ship, “Mazarron 2”, ran aground 2700 years
ago, 50 meters distant from the beach, in Puerto de Mazarrón. The
conditions of the tides caused that it was covered by a mixture of sand
and seaweeds that conserved it almost intact with all its cargo on board, until its discovery, 12 years
ago. It is the oldest documented ship ever discovered.
The original pieze continues in the water enclosed in a steel safe for protection while studying its best and safest destination.
I went to Cartagena (Spain), to the ARQUA museum to see its replica and I was astonished of its verisimilitude.
Cartagena (Cartago Nova) was an important port since the Phoenician era. When
leaving the bus station I could not avoid drawing the Fortress of San
Jose, one of the many ruins that can be seen in this three-millennial city.
