Archaeologists in Barcelona have unearthed the well-preserved remains of a medieval ship at a construction site, offering a rare glimpse into the city’s maritime history.
The vessel – provisionally dubbed Ciutadella I – was discovered earlier this month during construction of a parking lot at the site of the former fish market (‘Mercat del Peix’ in Catalan), now undergoing major redevelopment into a hub for scientific innovation.
The remains – roughly 10 metres long and over three metres wide – include a lattice of some 30 curved wooden ribs and at least seven hull planks. Although preserved in sediment that protected the wood from decay over the course of time, the remains are in a very fragile state of conservation, according to Barcelona City Council.
Because of this, ‘the Barcelona Archaeology Service, advised by the Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya and the Underwater Archaeology Centre of Catalonia (CASC), have been working from day one to guarantee the correct documentation and conservation of the structure’, the council said.
The construction is characteristic of Mediterranean shipbuilding techniques that spread across Europe during the late Middle Ages, and it is estimated to date back to the 15th or early 16th century.
Archaeologists hailed the discovery as exceptional, not just for its scale but for the context it provides.
‘The find reflects Barcelona’s historical maritime transformation,’ the statement said, noting how the construction of the city’s first artificial docks in 1439 altered coastal dynamics that continued shifting for centuries.
Initial conservation efforts of the ‘extremely fragile’ remains include 3D modelling, sampling and stabilisation in water tanks.
Eventually, the remains will undergo a specialised treatment process that replaces the wood’s moisture with wax, allowing long-term preservation.
The construction work is part of a new car park of 7,000 square metres conceived as a ‘sustainable mobility services hub’, providing service for the future Barcelona Biomedical Research complex, the city council said.
The work is part of the council’s strategy for the Ciutadella del Coneixement, ‘a scientific and urban project aimed at turning the Parc de la Ciutadella and its surroundings into a leading space for knowledge, dissemination, research and innovation in Europe’, the council added.
The development at the old fish market also uncovered an air raid shelter used by workers in the 20th century, as well as structures from the 18th-century Ciutadella, the 19th-century fish market and the 1888 Universal Exposition. ALSO READ: Medieval houses uncovered during renovation work around Barcelona’s Via Laietana.
In 2008, a similar 15th-century ship was found near the city’s old harbour. That vessel, believed to have Basque origins, was fully restored and now features in a digital exhibit at the city’s history museum.
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