Jaw-dropping trove of treasure recovered from wreck of 350-year-old Spanish ship

Archaeologists and divers have found a trove of treasure on the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas, which sank in 1656.

A centuries-old shipwreck with a bloody history, a secretive order of medieval knights and treasure beyond your wildest dreams — what sound like elements from a storybook are actually very real, and it’s all unfolding off the coast of the Bahamas.

After a two-year expedition to excavate the remains of a 350-year-old Spanish galleon that sank in 1656, a trove of sunken treasure will go on display at the Bahamas Maritime Museum this month; in fact, the museum was opened in part because of these discoveries.

The finds are thanks to shipwreck specialist Carl Allen, of Allen Explorations, and archaeologists and divers from the Bahamas and the U.S. who are attempting to solve the mystery of how this sumptuous ship met its end.

Gold chains, jewel-encrusted pendants, a silver sword and precious gems, coins and ingots were among the artifacts saved from a watery grave aboard the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas (Our Lady of Wonders).

Following a hidden 13-kilometre trail of debris, researchers believe they have located the ship’s lost sterncastle, where these most recent finds were recovered.

Among the artifacts of note was a 1.76 metre-long gold filigree chain with rosette motifs and a number of pendants that belonged to a religious order of knights founded in the 12th century, known as the Order of Santiago.

A scallop-shaped gold pendant bears the Cross of Santiago (or St. James) set on an Indian bezoar stone, which was thought to have healing properties in Europe at the time. Another knightly pendant features a large Colombian emerald with a dozen smaller emeralds set around it.

This necklace was also adorned with the Cross of Santiago and experts believe the 12 emeralds represent the 12 apostles of Christ.