Centuries-old pirate mystery deepens after newly discovered shipwrecks found in The Bahamas

A group of filmmakers and archaeologists say they’ve found the first shipwrecks linked to the real-life pirates who once operated from Nassau in The Bahamas.In a joint statement in early June, the New Providence Pirates Expedition and Wreckwatch TV announced that they had discovered six shipwrecks near Nassau, including three from the Golden Age of Piracy.“Until now, not one of their ships has ever come to light in their home waters,” researchers said.The Golden Age of Piracy took place between the 1650s and the 1730s — when pirates operated throughout the Caribbean and other trade routes.The Bahamas emerged as a center of piracy in the late 17th century, and the release noted that 1,000 pirates and sailors lived in the Nassau port at its peak.One wreck yielded iron cannons, lead musket balls and a sword sharpener — items researchers said were consistent with piracy during the era.The team also found hull planks, rigging and cargo remains, including glass bottles and bricks from the ship’s galley.At another wreck, divers found clay tobacco pipes bearing the royal crest of England, suggesting it was an English trading vessel from the 1740s.“The survival of the wreck, heavily smashed by urban construction, is a miracle,” the release said of the find.“The trader’s cargo of wine in glass bottles and fancy smoking pipes sheds rare light on Nassau becoming a normal port of trade, bouncing back from the pirate anarchy.”Project co-director Michael Pateman said “crystal-clear visibility” at one site helped researchers identify key features of an armed wreck.“The whole wreck was laid out before us,” Pateman said in a statement.“The ship was heavily armed, especially with swivel guns, the cannon of choice for pirates.

Slotted onto deck rails, these anti-personnel weapons raked devastating fire on enemy crews.”For another wreck, Kingsley said a combination of artifacts and structural evidence suggested it was likely a pirate vessel....