Armory of a 1600-1622 sunken ship wreck in river Elbe near Hamburg

[Andi]

In the permanent exhibition of Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (hamburgmuseum) in Hamburg, Germany is a display of some finds dredged out of the river Elbe near Hamburg-Wittenbergen in 1979-1981. The ship probably sunk bewteen 1600 and 1622. It accientially cought fire while firing salut in the Harbour of Hamburg, and later exploded and sunk some 4 kilometers downstream. It was believed to be a smuggler carrying weapons and other merchandise for Spain. It is most possible that this wreck is identical with the one depicted on a copper engraved print mentioning a ships havary of 2. July 1622 near Hamburg-Wittenbergen.

Some of the wrecks cannons were found loaded. One was loaded with large iron nails, iron fragments, clay and hemp fabric (see image below), the other one with 9 inch iron nails embedded in loam (unfortunately no image available).

Very interesting is a Stabringgeschütz having soewhat like an iron rope as reinforcement of the muzzle. In the present status of conservation it was not possible for me to decide if this is really a braided/twisted rope of iron or if this is only a rope shaped iron band - or possibly it is a braided/twisted iron rope which has been forged over.

Other notable finds are lots of aquebuse barrels, knife blades and knifes and more than 8 metric tons of copper ingots.