Medieval ship unearthed at the former fish market
Construction work on a new car park on the site of the former Mercat del Peix has unearthed the remains of ship dating back to between the 15th and 16th century. The find offers further knowledge about the diversity and complexity of medieval maritime activity in the city.
The section discovered, provisionally dubbed Ciutadella I, measures ten metres in length and over 3 metres wide, with a structure made up of some thirty wooden ribs, the curved wooden pieces forming the frame of the side of the ship, and at least seven strakes, the wooden planks covering the hull of the vessel.
The remains of the ship, covered in sediment over the course of time, are in a very fragile state of conservation. Because of this, the Barcelona Archaeology Service, advised by the Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya – Underwater Archaeology Centre of Catalonia (CASC), has been working from day one to guarantee the correct documentation and conservation of the structure.
The wood soaked in water is extremely sensitive, and to prevent it drying out and falling apart is has been partially covered with the original soil that was around it. The initial stage includes three-dimensional documentation, labelling pieces, taking samples and preparing the structure to be moved in containers full of water. This will be followed by a desalination process and the impregnation of the wood with hydro soluble wax, a substance that penetrates it and strengthens its internal structure, ensuring its long-term conservation.
The ship’s archaeological value constitutes a unique source of knowledge about the sailing and naval construction techniques used in Barcelona in the 15th and 16th centuries, and comes in addition to the 2008 discovery of a similar vessel near the Estació de França, named Barceloneta I.
New facility under construction: Ciutadella del Coneixement
The construction work is part of a new car park of 7,000 square metres conceived as a sustainable mobility services hub, providing service for the future Barcelona Biomedical Research complex of the CSIC and the UPF. The work is part of the strategy for the Ciutadella del Coneixement, a scientific and urban project aimed at turning the Parc de la Ciutadella and its surroundings into a leading space for knowledge, dissemination, research and innovation in Europe.
The excavation has generated 40,000 cubic metres of sand from Barcelona’s subsoil, which has been used to regenerate the Sant Sebastià beach in a joint operation between Port de Barcelona and BSM.
