The Santa Rosa Island Shipwreck: A Spanish Colonial Vessel Revealed
Author(s): John R. Bratten
Year: 2025
Summary
Discovered in the 1980s and designated as an archaeological site in 1992, the Santa Rosa Island Shipwreck underwent extensive investigation by the University of West Florida (UWF). Initial surveys suggested an Iberian origin, with hull construction using mahogany and Spanish cedar. From 1998 to 2002, UWF field schools excavated and documented the site, uncovering artifacts and structural elements indicative of a large colonial vessel. Analysis dated the wreck to between 1680 and 1720, aligning with characteristics of 18th-century Spanish ships. Further research identified the vessel as likely the Nuestra Señora del Rosario y Santiago Apostol, a Spanish frigate lost in a 1705 hurricane.
Cite this Record
The Santa Rosa Island Shipwreck: A Spanish Colonial Vessel Revealed. John R. Bratten. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2025 ( tDAR id: 508762)
Keywords
General
colonial vessel
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Shipwreck
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Spanish
Geographic Keywords
S.E. United States/Gulf of Mexico
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Nicole Haddow