8 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Rare 400-year-old Bronze Trumpets Discovered on a shipwreck in Croatia

Croatian underwater archaeologists have made an extraordinary discovery off the southern coast of Istria near Cape Kamenjak. They have unearthed a remarkable find in a sunken 16th-century ship – rare bronze trumpets, unique on a global scale.

Bronze trumpets made in the Dutch city of Leiden have been found in the cargo of a sixteenth-century Dutch shipwreck.

Dr. Luka Bekić of the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar shared insights on this incredible find. “These trumpets were transported in pieces. Based on the number of parts, we estimate there were over ten trumpets. Globally, fewer than ten 16th-century trumpets exist in known museums.”

Thanks to these new discoveries made in the waters near Cape Kamenjak, Croatia will have the world’s largest collection of these trumpets. The fact that Leiden, the Netherlands, is the only place these were made makes them even more unique. Additionally, the ship’s cargo included beads and ceramic vessels, likely en route to Venice, which was suffering from famine during that period.

An archaeologist holds a fragment of a 400-year-old trumpet found at the wreck. Photo: International Center for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar
An archaeologist holds a fragment of a 400-year-old trumpet found at the wreck. Photo: International Center for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar

The northern European ceramics discovered next to the trumpets provided more evidence of the ship’s origin. Dr. Bekić stressed that these items offer strong proof of the ship’s Dutch ancestry.

The site is being recorded with photogrammetry so that a digital model of it can be made, explained team member Roko Surić. “Today, we can create a photogrammetric model using digital methods, which shortens diving time and allows for precise documentation of the site segment we are investigating, ultimately giving us a complete picture of the site.”

The trumpets, after undergoing meticulous restoration, are expected to be displayed in Pula. Meanwhile, the ship’s remains, including three cannons, will stay submerged, protected by a state-of-the-art method implemented for the first time in this project.

One of the most well-preserved trumpets found at the shipwreck. The brass artifact has the inscription “LVGDVNY BATAVORVM,” the Latin name for Leiden, the Netherlands. Photo: International Center for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar
One of the most well-preserved trumpets found at the shipwreck. The brass artifact has the inscription “LVGDVNY BATAVORVM,” the Latin name for Leiden, the Netherlands. Photo: International Center for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar

Also, this latest find is expected to draw divers from around the world. Robert Lehotkaj of the Diving Center Indije noted, “New discoveries mean new opportunities for divers to explore fresh locations. This site will attract both new and experienced divers looking for novel experiences.”

So far, around 20 sites boasting sunken ships have been discovered in southern Istria alone. Of these, 5 are currently under protection.

Cover Photo: International Center for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar

Related Articles

Ushabti figurines on display at Izmir Archeology Museum

18 September 2021

18 September 2021

The 2,700-year-old “Ushabti” statuettes, discovered in archaeological digs in western Turkey and used in Egyptian burial ceremonies, are being shown...

Researchers decipher enigmatic ancient ‘Unknown Kushan Script’

13 July 2023

13 July 2023

A research team at the University of Cologne’s Department of Linguistics deciphered a writing system belonging to the Kushan Empire,...

Rare Arabic inscription discovered during Malta housing project works

3 May 2023

3 May 2023

A rare Arabic inscription, possibly dating back to medieval times, was discovered at the site of a social housing project...

World’s Smallest Stegosaurus Track Found

14 March 2021

14 March 2021

The smallest trace of stegosaurus in the world that lived 155 million years ago was found. Stegosaurus, a herbivorous dinosaur,...

Saudi Arabia launching world’s first-ever ‘Museum in the Sky’

4 November 2021

4 November 2021

The world’s first “Museum in the Sky” flight operated by Saudia Airlines, will take off from Riyadh to AlUla today....

Rare Ceremonial Knives Offering Discovered in the Great Basement of Tlatelolco, Mexico

27 May 2024

27 May 2024

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)  have unearthed a very special votive offering during excavations at...

Two new fragments of the Fasti Ostienses, a kind of chronicle engraved on marble slabs, have been found in the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park

19 August 2023

19 August 2023

Two new fragments of the Fasti Ostienses have been discovered in the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park, following investigations carried out...

The discovery of great importance for Urartian archeology in Çavuştepe castle: Discovered a horse skeleton with a bronze curb bit in its jaw

28 September 2023

28 September 2023

Archaeologists unearthed a horse skeleton with a bronze curb bit (a metal piece inserted into its mouth to guide the...

Mysterious ruins discovered at the bottom of Lake Van, Türkiye’s largest lake

16 August 2023

16 August 2023

At the bottom of Lake Van, Türkiye’s largest salty soda lake with 3,712 square kilometers, divers discovered a cemetery and...

Long-Awaited Excavation to Commence at Mount Ararat ‘Noah’s Ark’ Site

9 May 2025

9 May 2025

The legendary search for Noah’s Ark, a tale that has captivated imaginations and spurred countless expeditions for generations, is poised...

Archaeologists Discovered Remarkably Preserved Shrines inside the Assyrian Temple of Ninurta, in Nimrud

29 December 2024

29 December 2024

Recent archaeological work in Nimrud, led by the Penn Museum in collaboration with Iraqi archaeologists, has uncovered two remarkably well-preserved...

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

The recent underwater excavations off the coast of Türkiye have unveiled an extraordinary find that has captivated scientists: olive pits...

Turkey Adds New Sites to UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

30 April 2021

30 April 2021

Two additional cultural objects have been added to Turkey’s World Heritage Tentative List, bringing the total number of cultural assets...

Gold coin hoard discovered in a cup beneath a North Yorkshire kitchen floor is being auctioned off

7 September 2022

7 September 2022

A couple in North Yorkshire found an early 18th-century gold coin hoard buried under the floorboards of their kitchen. The...

Bronze age settlement found under in Swiss lake

23 April 2021

23 April 2021

For the first time, archaeologists discovered traces of a Bronze Age lakeside village beneath the surface of Lake Lucerne. The...