Sounding lead in Lucaya...

[windward]

We found this lead off Lucaya Beach in about 15 ft in the early 70s. Can anyone help date it, maybe give it a country of origin, or any other historical info? It was in the vicinity of the known Lucayan wreck, but there has got to be more than one wreck. We also found some bronze nails and what looks like pieces of copper sheathing in the area, so wondering if that means there's a British ship out there.

It's approx. 10-3/4" long and 2-1/2" wide at the bottom. There is a slight indentation on the bottom where the tallow hollow should be, but it has probably worn down over the years. It weighs just under 10 lbs.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[joe frog]

windward: This is a nice artifact and truly a lead sounding weight. One just like this was found a little south at silver beach and the wreck was 1750 (guessing) from the material we looked at. You can't tell what kind of vessel it is from that artifact so keep looking for other items like bottles, coins, or spikes, etc. There was a 1650; dutch wreck in that area and a book written about it called "Finders losers". Tons of spanish coins came off the wreck and John Brandon worked and got more coins off that wreck. Your lead sounding weight could be from this early dutch wreck. Thanks for those great pictures.

 

[Salvor6]

Windward this probably came from the Lucayan Wreck, a Spanish galleon captured by the Dutch admiral Piet Hyen in 1628. There is no other known wreck in that area.

 

[windward]

Thank you Joe Frog and Salvor6! Appreciate the input. I had read that there's doubt that Piet Hyen had been in that area. Sounds like you're fairly certain he was and that the Lucaya wreck is probably his. Around the same time in the same area, a friend of mine found a small clay pot with a 14 ft-or-so, hand-stamped gold (very) chain inside.

 

[Bum Luck]

small clay pot with a 14 ft-or-so, hand-stamped gold (very) chain inside.

Smuggled at the bottom of the jar. What was in it, I wonder?