San Giorgio e Sant'Elmo (Cadiz-Delta 2), 1587
Country: Spain
Place: Port of Cadiz, Andalusia
Type: Armed merchantman, built on the Ligurian coast
Identified: San Giorgio e Sant'Elmo, also known colloquially as Vassallo
Dated: Built at Portofino, near Genoa, in 1573 by Pietro Paolo Vassallo; sank 29 April 1587 during Francis Drake's raid on Cadiz
Beam: 8 m
Length Overall: 24 m
Number of Masts: Unknown; a mainmast is mentioned but no total mast count is given
History of the shipwreck
Plans for a new container terminal in the Port of Cadiz, Spain, included dredging within the proclaimed 'Archaeological Easement Zone'. As a result, the Regional Department of Culture for the Self-Governing Region of Andalusia (Comunidad Autónoma de Andalucía) ordered a survey of the affected area. No archaeological sites were identified during a two-year survey in 2010/11 (Alzaga García et al. 2019, 23-5).
The lack of finds allowed dredging operations to begin, while archaeologists were stationed to observe and halt progress if cultural material was encountered. After dredges removed 7 m of sediment from the bottom of the harbor, two shipwrecks (Delta I and II) were uncovered. Delta I was later identified as a seventeenth-century Spanish shipwreck carrying goods from the Americas, including a silver ingot (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano et al. 2014, 206-7). Subsequent dives identified Delta II as a 24 m by 8 m hull, a 12-16 m tall structure with significant surviving cargo on board (Gianni Ridella et al. 2017, 12-13).
The Regional Department of Culture funded further archaeological work on both wrecks while construction of the nearby terminal continued. Due to the extent of the preserved remains, Delta II was recorded in situ, while the reduced surviving hull structure of Delta I allowed that wreck to be moved to a shallower area of the port for further work (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 872).
Archival research identified the wreck as the San Giorgio e Sant'Elmo (also known colloquially as Vassallo), which sank during Francis Drake's raid on Cadiz on 29 April 1587. The ship was originally built at Portofino, outside Genoa, in 1573 by Pietro Paolo Vassallo, who sailed on the San Giorgio's maiden voyage before turning over command to Clemente Vassallo, who remained the ship's master until its demise. Documents from Spanish and Italian archives show the ship traveled mainly between Western Mediterranean ports and the Iberian Atlantic, sailing as far east as Sciacca, Sicily, stopping at Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, and along the Spanish coastline between Alicante, Cartagena, and Cadiz (Gianni Ridella et al. 2017, 16-19).
On its last voyage, the ship departed Genoa in July 1586 and stopped at Cartagena, where Vassallo obtained bronze artillery intended for the 1588 Spanish Armada organizing in Lisbon. When Drake attacked Cadiz, the ship was in the process of unloading the cannons while taking on Spanish and American cargo bound for Italy (Gianni Ridella et al. 2017, 23-4). Research on this wreck has yielded several publications, mainly focused on the artifacts, cannons, and archival research; only a preliminary description of the ship's construction is available, as the material is reserved for a dissertation in Spain (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano, pers. comm.).
Description of the site
Delta II was discovered within the Port of Cadiz harbor after dredging removed 7 m of sediment from the bottom in the course of construction of a new container terminal. Owing to the extent of its preserved remains, Delta II was recorded in situ (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 872).
Cargo
Seven bronze cannons cast by the Gioardi family of Genoa were uncovered on Delta II; two appeared to be mounted for the ship's defense and fired stone cannonballs, while the other five were found in the hold. A single wrought iron cannon was also found, along with two iron anchors stored with the bronze guns (Gianni Ridella et al. 2017, 11).
Other cargo included a large quantity of ceramic jars carrying olives in brine, with woven esparto grass wrapped around the jars or placed beneath them to prevent breakage; large wooden barrels filled with cochineal dye from the Americas; a shipment of dense lignum vitae wood; boxes of agricultural foodstuffs; a pair of dividers for navigation; leather shoes; and animal remains (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano et al. 2014, 210-1, 880-1).
Hull Remains
Only a preliminary description of the ship's construction has been published; a full report is reserved for a dissertation in Spain (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano, pers. comm.). What is known suggests construction similar to other Mediterranean vessels.
Keel
A single keel is rebated for the garboards. A stern knee is fitted atop the after end of the keel (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 879-80).
Frames
Floor timbers are hook scarfed to overlapping futtocks, secured with two iron nails. No other information is known about the frames, except that the Y-timbers near the stern were bolted to the keel (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 879-80).
Keelson
The keelson is briefly mentioned as composed of three separate pieces, Jupiter-scarfed together. Towards amidships, a mainmast step includes two mast step partners along either side of the keelson, supported by five pairs of buttresses. Three keys dovetailed into the adjacent mast partners create two mortises: the forward section was reserved for the mainmast heel, and the after section supported the foot of the halyard knighthead and the ship's pump (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 878-80).
Ceiling, thick stuff and wales
A bilge stringer was fitted over the floor timber-futtock scarf, with ceiling present between this timber and the keelson. Above the stringer is a sill, crenulated to fill the spaces between futtocks. The bottom of the hold had a raised platform, with planking running perpendicular to the centerline of the hull; the inboard ends of this planking fit into rebates cut into the top edges of the keelson, and the outboard ends terminated at the bilge stringers (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 880).
Planking
Planking had an average thickness of 6 cm and was attached to the framing exclusively with iron nails (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 880).
Fastenings
Frame connections were secured with iron nails and bolts; planking was attached to the framing exclusively with iron nails (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 879-80).
Caulking
Every strake below the waterline is covered in lead sheathing (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 880).
Ballast
Not described.
Size and scantlings
Hull: 24 m by 8 m, a 12-16 m tall structure (Gianni Ridella et al. 2017, 12-13). Planking: 6 cm average thickness (Manuel Higueras-Milena Castellano and Gallardo Abárzuza 2016, 880).
Wood
Not identified in the source text for the hull; the cargo included a shipment of dense lignum vitae wood.
References
Alzaga García, A., et al., 2019. [full citation not given in source text];
Higueras-Milena Castellano, M., et al., 2014. [full citation not given in source text];
Ridella, G., et al., 2017. [full citation not given in source text];
Higueras-Milena Castellano, M., and Gallardo Abárzuza, M., 2016. [full citation not given in source text];
Higueras-Milena Castellano, Manuel, personal communication.