Mary Rose

In 1967, diver Alexander McKee, with the help of MIT electrical engineer Harold E. Edgerton who developed side-scan sonar, discovered what he believed to be the wreckage of Henry VIII's flagship Mary Rose in the Solent Channel off the southwestern coast of England. After years of excavating layers of silt and clay under the direction of archaeologist Margaret Rule, the preservation of the ship's starboard side and a wealth of artifacts clearly identified the vessel as Mary Rose, by far the most significant find in the nautical archaeology of the Tudor era. In 1982, the vessel was raised and brought ashore to Portsmouth, England, making it the only 16th-century warship on display in the world. Mary Rose was revolutionary in its armament, and a pre-cursor to 17th- century ships-of-the-line. Its inventory of more than 2,000 artifacts, including clothing, food supplies, and personal items such as knives, quills, and book covers provide insight into lower-class Tudor society.

Vasa

Built under the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus in 1626, the massive Vasa was meant to be both the most powerful warship and the most potent piece of visual political propaganda of the 17th- century. Unfortunately for King Adolphus, the ship's construction was rushed and the vessel was top heavy, causing it to roll and sink minutes into its maiden voyage. Fortunately for archaeologists, the nature of its sinking preserved the vessel in almost pristine condition with four preserved decks, thousands of artifacts, and over 700 decorative sculptures. Vasa was raised in 1961 after being discovered five years earlier by amateur nautical archaeologist Anders Franzen. The only fully preserved 17th- century warship, it has provided invaluable information about warfare, shipbuilding and the general life of Swedish sailors of that century. Additionally, much of the rigging, masts, and sails of the ship have been restored, providing visitors to the Vasa Museum in Stockholm with a look at how the ship must have looked just before it set off on its fateful maiden voyage.

More Underwater Discoveries