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A team of explorers believes it has discovered an anchor from one of Christopher Columbus’ ships in the Caribbean.
According to a story on the Fox News website, an analysis of the anchor shows that it dates from somewhere between 1492 and 1550. It weighed 1,200-1,500 pounds and probably belonged to a 300-ton vessel, typical of Columbus’ time.
The anchor is believed to come from a fleet of smaller ships called caravels, which included the Pinta. Captained by Vicente Pinzon on one of the “minor voyages” of Columbus’ third expedition to the New World, the ship sank in a hurricane near the Turks and Caicos islands in 1500.
In addition to the anchor, the team brought up other artifacts at the shipwreck site, including grappling hooks used for salvaging cargo from shipwrecks, as well as pieces of pottery and an olive jar painted with indigo.