A team of archaeologists has discovered over 100 shipwrecks in the Bay of Algeciras, revealing centuries of rich maritime history, trade, and naval warfare.
Archaeologists discover more than a hundred sunken ships in the Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar has always been much more than a narrow body of water separating southern Europe from northern Africa. Like other strategic waterways around the world, such as the well-known Strait of Hormuz, its waters conceal a long and complex history of navigation and conflict. A recent study known as Proyecto Herakles (Herakles Project) has uncovered some of the Bay of Algeciras’ hidden secrets, reinforcing its status as one of the world’s most significant maritime crossroads.
A vast underwater graveyard
Between May 2020 and March 2023, a team of Spanish archaeologists conducted an extensive survey of the bay, covering nearly 29 square miles. Their work identified 151 underwater archaeological sites, including 124 confirmed shipwrecks.
Felipe Cerezo Andreo, a professor of underwater archaeology at the University of Cádiz and the project’s lead researcher, explains that the bay has long served as a mandatory stop for vessels traveling between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. For thousands of years, ships have anchored there while waiting for favorable weather conditions before making the crossing. This constant flow of maritime traffic turned the area into a hotspot for both accidents and naval battles.
Two millennia of history beneath the sea
The shipwrecks span a remarkably wide range of historical periods. The oldest documented wreck dates back to the 5th century B.C. It belonged to a Punic vessel carrying fish sauce produced in Cádiz for trade throughout the Mediterranean.
Researchers also uncovered remains from ships dating to the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century, as well as artifacts from World War II. Among the most notable discoveries are the remains of a Maiale, or “Pig,” a type of manned torpedo used by the Italian Navy to sabotage and attack the British fleet anchored at Gibraltar.
Technology and climate change reveal the past
Until 2019, only four archaeological sites were known within the bay, and just one of them was a shipwreck. What makes these recent discoveries especially remarkable is why so many are emerging now. According to Cerezo Andreo, climate change is altering ocean currents and the natural movement of seafloor sediments, exposing shipwrecks that had remained buried for centuries.
To document this historical treasure before modern shipping traffic can damage or destroy it, researchers have relied on advanced technology, including multibeam sonar systems to create detailed three-dimensional maps of the seafloor and magnetometers to detect metal objects buried beneath the sand.
“For us, it is essential to record and digitally document these sites so they can be protected,” Andreo said.
Just the tip of the iceberg
Despite the scale of the discovery, archaeologists believe they have only scratched the surface. So far, the team has explored only the bay’s shallow waters, reaching depths of about 33 feet. However, the Bay of Algeciras extends to depths of nearly 1,300 feet.
The researchers are convinced that even more extraordinary discoveries await in the deeper waters, including possible prehistoric remains. Ancient Paleolithic shorelines now lie completely submerged beneath the sea. The team’s next objective is to conduct detailed studies of the 76 percent of archaeological sites that have yet to be thoroughly analyzed and to expand their exploration into deeper waters in search of more pieces of the Strait of Gibraltar’s remarkable maritime history.
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