CIUTADELLA, MENORCA — In the silt-choked waters of Cala en Busquets, a narrow inlet known locally as the "Cove of Mysteries," the past does not give up its secrets easily. During a pivotal dive in October 2025, the visibility was described by lead archaeologist Xavier Aguelo Mas as "like chocolate." Despite the near-zero transparency, Aguelo Mas, a veteran Catalan researcher with the Menorca Shipwreck Project, donned his weathered wetsuit and urged his team forward. "We dive anyway!" he proclaimed, signaling a descent into a maritime graveyard that has rewritten the medieval history of the Balearic Islands.

The expedition’s persistence has been rewarded with the discovery and excavation of three 13th-century trading vessels, now dubbed Busquets I, II, and III. These ships, which appear to have been swallowed by the sea simultaneously during a violent meteorological event, represent a "time capsule" of a turbulent era. Their cargo—a mosaic of Christian reliquaries and Islamic pottery—offers undeniable proof of a vibrant, interconnected trade network existing between warring faiths on the precipice of the Reconquista.

Main Facts: A Rare Medieval Triad

The discovery of the Busquets wrecks is a landmark event for Mediterranean archaeology. While the seabed of the Mediterranean is famously littered with the remains of ancient Roman galleys, medieval shipwrecks—particularly from the 13th century—are exceedingly rare. Most vessels from this era that sank near the shore were destroyed or buried during 19th-century harbor expansions. However, the Busquets ships remained undisturbed for over 750 years because the modern port of Ciutadella was constructed on the opposite side of the island, leaving the "Cove of Mysteries" as a pristine underwater sanctuary.

Key highlights of the discovery include:

• Simultaneous Sinking: Evidence suggests all three vessels went down in the same event, likely a rissaga, or meteorological tsunami.
• Cultural Fusion: The cargo contains artifacts from both the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula and the Moorish (Muslim) communities that ruled Menorca at the time.
• The "Artifact of the Decade": The recovery of a 13th-century encolpium, a rare religious reliquary worn by high-ranking clergy, which remains one of a kind in the archaeological record.
• State of Preservation: Unlike Roman wrecks, which are often looted for their ceramic amphorae, these ships carried goods in degradable wooden barrels, making them "invisible" to treasure hunters but treasure troves for scientists.

Chronology: From 1240 to the Present Day

To understand the significance of the Busquets ships, one must look back to the mid-13th century. Carbon dating of the ships’ timbers conducted in early 2025 suggests the vessels sank in the late 1240s. At this time, Menorca was an Islamic taifa (independent principality) under Moorish rule, though it existed in a precarious state of vassalage to the Christian Crown of Aragon.

The timeline of the discovery and its historical context unfolds as follows:

• 1229–1235: James I of Aragon conquers Majorca and Ibiza. Menorca remains under Muslim control but pays tribute to the Christians.
• Late 1240s: The Busquets ships, likely part of a commercial convoy, enter Cala en Busquets to seek shelter or trade. They are struck by a rissaga and sink rapidly.
• 1287: Alfonso III of Aragon officially conquers Menorca, leading to the destruction of many Moorish records. The names and origins of the Busquets ships are lost to history.
• 2009: Xavier Aguelo Mas begins surveying the "Cove of Mysteries," identifying anomalies on the seafloor that he suspects are far older than the 18th-century wrecks previously reported in the area.
• 2023: The Menorca Shipwreck Project—a collaboration between the New York-based Explorers Club and local Spanish experts—officially launches excavations.
• 2024: The discovery of the encolpium and Islamic ceramics confirms the 13th-century origin of the site.
• 2025: Advanced wood-dating analysis confirms the ships sank simultaneously in the mid-1200s. Excavations of Busquets I and II are completed.

Supporting Data: Meteotsunamis and the "Amphora Killer"

The primary cause of the ships’ demise is believed to be a "meteorological tsunami," known locally in the Balearic Islands as a rissaga. Unlike seismic tsunamis triggered by earthquakes, rissagas are caused by rapid changes in atmospheric pressure. These changes can cause the sea level in narrow harbors like Ciutadella to drop and rise by several meters in a matter of minutes. The resulting surges create violent currents that can smash ships against the rocky shore or submerge entire fleets before they can reach open water.

The preservation of these ships is also a matter of technological evolution. Archaeologist Aguelo Mas notes a phenomenon in underwater archaeology known as "the barrel killing the amphora."

In the Roman era, goods like wine and oil were transported in ceramic amphorae. These jars are durable and easily spotted by divers, making Roman wrecks frequent targets for looters. However, by the second century C.E., merchants began favoring wooden barrels, which were easier to handle and stack. When a medieval ship sank, these barrels eventually rotted away, leaving the cargo scattered and the ship’s wooden hull buried under protective layers of silt. To the untrained eye, the site looks like a barren patch of seafloor, which protected the Busquets vessels from centuries of pillaging.

To excavate in the low-visibility "chocolate" water, the team utilized a technique nicknamed the "Queen Elizabeth." Divers use a specific hand motion—a firm, swiveling wave—to gently stir the sediment without damaging fragile artifacts. The displaced silt is then sucked away through a discharge tube, revealing the treasures beneath.

Official Responses and Expert Analysis

The international archaeological community has reacted with profound interest to the Menorca findings. Beverly Goodman-Tchernov, a marine geoarchaeologist at the University of Haifa who was not involved in the dig, emphasized the rarity of the find. "Shipwrecks from this period are relatively rare in the Mediterranean archaeological record," she stated, noting that the Busquets site offers a "narrow window of time and space" that is usually lost to history.

Expedition leader and project founder Trevor J. Wallace highlighted the emotional and historical weight of the "artifact of the decade"—the religious encolpium. "I saw a black corner of something that I thought was contemporary trash," Wallace recalled. "As I uncovered it, I saw a king with a scepter."

Consultations with outside experts suggest the reliquary is unique. It is currently undergoing a meticulous desalination process at the Museum of Menorca. Once stabilized, archivists intend to open the device. Speculation remains high as to its contents, with Aguelo Mas suggesting it could contain anything from "a bone to parchment."

Marcel Pujol Hamelink, an expert on medieval shipbuilding, noted that the mixed cargo is the most significant takeaway. The presence of Christian religious items alongside Islamic pottery suggests that even during periods of high political and religious tension, the Mediterranean remained a "middle ground" where trade superseded conflict. "They were not two worlds apart," Hamelink observed.

Implications: A New Chapter for Mediterranean History

The ongoing work at the "Cove of Mysteries" has implications that extend far beyond the shores of Menorca. By successfully excavating 13th-century wrecks, the Menorca Shipwreck Project has provided a template for identifying and protecting "invisible" medieval sites across the Mediterranean.

Furthermore, the discovery challenges the traditional narrative of the Reconquista as a period of absolute segregation between Christian and Muslim societies. The Busquets ships show a high degree of economic integration, where merchants from different faiths shared the same harbors, the same risks, and perhaps even the same vessels.

As the team prepares to publish their full findings in a research paper slated for spring 2027, the focus has shifted to Busquets III, the final vessel in the triad. There is also a growing belief that more ships lie buried in the silt of the cove. "We could have Busquets IV, V," Aguelo Mas suggested with cautious optimism.

For Trevor J. Wallace, the project is far from over. "It’s an unraveling story still," he said. "This tiny little cove, this underwater museum… still has a lot to tell." As the desalination of the encolpium continues and the hull of Busquets III is mapped, the world waits to see what other mysteries will emerge from the murky, chocolate-colored depths of Menorca’s ancient harbor.