The shipwreck in a diamond mine: analysing the ivory cargo of a 16th century Portuguese merchant ship
In southwest Namibia in 2008, diamond mining uncovered the remains of the Portuguese vessel Bom Jesus, which wrecked off the coast of Namibia in 1533 AD. Over forty tons of cargo was found, including gold and silver coins, copper ingots, navigational equipment, and 100 complete tusks of elephant ivory. We used a combination of analyses to source the tusks to West African habitats, revealing patterns of ivory acquisition and circulation during the formative stages of maritime trade that linked Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Date:
12 March 2020, 13:00 (Thursday, 8th week, Hilary 2020)
Venue:
Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street OX1 2PH
Venue Details:
Headley Lecture Theatre
Speaker:
Dr Ashley Coutu (Research Fellow, Pitt Rivers Museum)
Organising department:
Gardens, Libraries and Museums
Part of:
GLAM Research Seminar
Booking required?:
Not required
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editor:
Laura Spence
