le Sainte-Marie, located off the northeast coast of Madagascar, occupies a central place in the maritime history of the western Indian Ocean. Its natural harbor, relatively protected from monsoon systems and regional currents, made it a strategic node for both legitimate trade and illicit maritime activity during the 17th and 18th centuries. Although the island had been known to Arab mariners since at least the 12th century,
it was not until the so-called Golden Age of Piracy (1650–1725 CE) that Sainte-Marie emerged as a significant base of operations for European pirates, including figures such as Henry Avery, William Kidd, Christopher Condent, and Olivier Levasseur. The island’s protected anchorages, close proximity to major sea lanes, and lack of effective colonial governance rendered it an ideal hub for resupply, refitting, and the laundering of plundered goods. In this context, Sainte-Marie Island became a focal point for pirate settlement and maritime activity. The archaeological record, both terrestrial and marine, reflects the complexity and density of occupation during this period.
There is a concentration of shipwrecks in and around the port area of Îlot Madame, a small island within the Sainte-Marie lagoon, offers an opportunity to study the maritime material culture of piracy and its entanglement with global trade networks in the Indian Ocean. The central research question of this study is as follows: To what extent do the material remains, artifacts, construction features, and site stratigraphy of a previously documented shipwreck by an international team at Îlot Madame correspond with historical records of the Nossa Senhora do Cabo, captured by pirates Olivier Levasseur and John Taylor in 1721?
Among the most dramatic episodes of the Golden Age of Piracy was the 1721 capture of the Portuguese treasure ship Nossa Senhora do Cabo by Levasseur and Taylor. This heavily armed vessel, transporting immense wealth including gold, silver, diamonds, and religious artifacts, was en route from Goa to Lisbon when it was damaged in a storm and sought refuge near Réunion Island. According to early accounts, the pirates found a large Portuguese cargo ship lying at anchor that had lost all masts and two thirds of her cannons during a storm (Lazinby 1722).
Seizing the opportunity, Levasseur and Taylor took the ship with little to no resistance because the crew was both largely based on shore at the time and they thought at first sight that the two pirate ships were British Company (Downing 1738:66). The pirates divided the treasure among themselves, with Levasseur reportedly taking the famed Flaming Cross of Goa, a massive gold artifact encrusted with precious stones that took three men to carry (la Ronciere 1934, 1940). Primary records cast doubt on the existence of such an artifact, but documentary evidence does suggest the Viceroy of Goa aboard the vessel did possess a golden cross of the order, most likely hanging on a necklace. During the raid, the pirates allegedly seized it, but later returned it to him along with his gilded sword (Le Mercure 1722:64).
The Nossa Senhora do Cabo was later scuttled near Madagascar, an event that has since fueled speculation about the ship’s final resting place. According to Guet (1886) and Grey (1933:327) La Buse had command of the Cabo, later renamed the Victorieux (i.e., Victorious in English), and after an unknown period of continued piracy, he eventually careened and burnt the ship probably along the coast of Saint-Marie. Sainte-Marie Island has therefore emerged as a prime candidate for what still remains archaeologically of the Nossa Senhora do Cabo.
There is at least three ships maybe more fiery dragon, adventure galley, Nossa Senhora do Cabo. The ships burnt scuttled.
Here is concentration of wrecks
Here is map of principle search area. You can see building structures on the early map.
Today an overlay of principle pirate settlement.
Artifact recovered i think about 13 gold coins from memory. All of Mogul design.
pottery shards in keeping with the era,
Other artifact part of a cross. Could be from the Cabo?
other artifacts.
Chinese trade porcelain. All points to piracy.
The whole area land and sea is cultural and heritage significance. Madagascan is poor country with a complex lax legal system that had problems with corruption and poor observance of rule of law. Graft is common, by u8nesco helps fund the preservation of such site as the local government benefits from tourism. The island makes money from pirate toursm with accommodation. bars clubs etc, From pirate tourism. So allowing some to turn up with a metal detector there is not going to happen.
Other parts of Madagascar might be more lax and indifferent.
Crow
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