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15th–16th Century Ship Unearthed at Barcelona Construction Site

Archaeologists uncover 'Ciutadella I' ship skeleton during excavation near the Ciutadella del Coneixement, with extraction and analysis underway.

Overview

  • The ship skeleton, named 'Ciutadella I,' dates back to the 15th–16th centuries and was discovered over five meters below sea level at the former Mercat del Peix site.
  • Measuring approximately 10 meters in length and 3 meters in width, the remains represent a medieval Mediterranean vessel, with partial structures preserved.
  • The archaeological team, led by Arqueòlegs.cat under Santi Palacios and Delia Eguiluz, is carefully dismantling the ship piece by piece for conservation and study.
  • Wood resin analysis will be conducted to trace the vessel's origin, with the extraction process expected to conclude within two to three weeks.
  • This marks Barcelona’s second medieval ship discovery, following the 2008 unearthing of 'Barceloneta I,' and further finds are possible as 10–15% of the excavation area remains unexplored.