Shipwreck Mazarrón 2

In 1995 a second shipwreck was found, the Mazarrón 2 (Playa de la Isla, Mazarrón, Murcia), practically complete and with its cargo. As it was impossible to document and study it while the remains of the Mazarrón 1 were being extracted, it was decided to rebury it with sediment and to protect it with a specially designed metal structure.Salto de línea The cargo of the Mazarrón 2 was extracted and documented from October 1999 to January 2001. It comprised lead ingots, an amphora, a hand grinder, an esparto pannier with a wooden handle, the remains of esparto ropes of various thicknesses, filler to secure stowage and to protect the hull, and its wooden and lead anchor.Salto de línea The discovery of Mazarrón 2 provided archaeological documentation, for the first time, of the shipping practices of the Phoenicians to transport the metals they obtained in the Iberian peninsula, previously only known through classic texts. This archaeological site also revealed for the first time aspects of shipbuilding, life on board, how goods were stowed and secured, and the earliest known use of constructed anchors. It is dated to the second half of the 7th century BCE.Salto de línea The shipwreck is currently preserved in situ at the site, protected by the “safe”, a metal structure which was especially built for it. The materials however have been extracted and can be found in the Museum.Salto de línea