Atocha Shipwreck Artifact
Artifact: Iron Cargo Hook
Wrecked: 1622
Ship: Nuestra Senora De Atocha
This artifact has been chemically treated and professionally preserved. 
 
The Atocha Shipwreck is a famous maritime disaster that occurred in 1622 when a Spanish galleon named Nuestra Señora de Atocha sank off the coast of Florida. The ship was part of a fleet that was carrying valuable treasures from the New World back to Spain. The Atocha was carrying a vast amount of silver, gold, jewels, and other precious artifacts from Peru, Mexico, and other parts of the Spanish Empire.
 
The Atocha met its fate during a hurricane that struck the Florida Keys, causing the ship to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Although some of the ship's crew and passengers managed to survive the disaster, the vast majority of the ship's treasure remained lost at sea for more than three centuries.
 
It wasn't until 1985 that the wreckage of the Atocha was finally discovered by treasure hunter Mel Fisher and his team. After years of searching and exploring the ocean floor, Fisher and his team were able to recover a vast amount of treasure from the sunken galleon, including gold bars, coins, and emeralds worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
 
The discovery of the Atocha's treasure has been hailed as one of the greatest maritime finds of all time and has captured the imagination of treasure hunters and historians alike. Today, many of the artifacts recovered from the wreckage can be seen at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, offering a glimpse into the rich history of the Spanish Empire and the perils of maritime travel in the 17th century.