After a quarter of a century of investigations conducted between historical documents and submarine dives, a team of Australian maritime archaeologists confirmed the identity of one of the most famous wrecks in naval history. It is theHM Bark Endeavourthe ship with which James Cook He explored the Pacific, New Zealand and the eastern coasts of Australia in the eighteenth century. The remains have been silent for centuries in the seabed of the port of Newport, in the Rhode Island, and now the definitive confirmation has finally arrived.
Daryl Karp, director of National Maritime Museum Australianduring the press conference that sanctioned the official identification of the wreck, said:
This final report represents our final declaration on the project.
The journey ofEndeavour He began in 1768, with James Cook in command. It was a scientific mission that embodied the spirit of Enlightenment: exploration, discovery, expansion of knowledge. On that journey, the ship reached lands then unknown to the West, including the current Australiaopening a new era in relations between Europe and the Pacific.
However, not for everyone that trip has the same meaning. The final report reads: “For some it represents the beginning of the colonization and oppression of indigenous populations”. An important admission, which recognizes the complex historical implications linked to that exploratory mission.
After the scientific mission, theEndeavour was renamed Lord Sandwich and was used by the British during the American independence war. In 1778 he was self -deduced, together with 12 other boats, in an attempt to block the advance of the French fleet in the Newport bay.
Long hunt for the wreck: 25 years of research between archives and seabed
Research began in 1999 as a collaboration between the National Maritime Museum Australian and the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project (Rimap). Scholars analyzed hundreds of colonial documents and nautical maps, identifying the site Ri 2394 Like the most promising.
That wreck was distinguished by its characteristics: dimensions, shape and structure were match with those of the Cook ship. But in archeology, concrete evidence is needed, not only coincidences.
Over the years, the researchers analyzed every detail of the structure, comparing the fragments of hull with the original projects of the eighteenth century. The woods found – White oak and European Olmo – They confirmed the British origin, in contrast to the American ships of the time, built with local timber.
The decisive tests arrived with the discovery of two key elements: the pump well and the shoe keen joint. The first was exactly in the same position indicated in the original Eeavour plans. The second, a complex wooden interlocking that unites the keel to the bow, was identical to that of the construction site drawings where the ship was built. A rare detail, found only in another wreck in the world, found in Bermuda.
The debate with American archaeologists and definitive confirmation
In 2022, the Australian Museum publicly announced the identification of the wreck such as the former Endeavour. But the American team expressed reservations, fearing that the announcement had been rushed, perhaps driven by political or emotional motivations. Rimap recognized the possibility that it was really Endeavour, but invited to prudence.
Today, three years later, Australia has presented a detailed final reportwho faces and answers any doubt raised. The document includes New plans, Updated structural comparisons and a comparative database of the relics of the eighteenth century in the Atlantic. No other wreck matches Ri 2394 as the Cook ship does.
The museum firmly affirms:
After numerous presentations to international archaeological congresses, no criticism has refuted our identification.
Rimap also recognized the rigorousness of the work doneeven without officially pronouncing on identification.
Conservation, dissemination and memory: what will happen now
The discovery of theEndeavour It does not represent the end of the project, but the beginning of a new phase. The final report invites to continue in the conservation of the wreckthreatened by marine organisms such as Teredini and Gribblessmall crustaceans that slowly erod the wood.
At the same time, the museum proposed an educational initiative to spread the history of the ship and deal with its complex legacy. Not only navigation companies, but also the role in colonization and the impact on indigenous populations will be an integral part of the story.
Finding the Endeavour It was not just a scientific success. It was also a step towards understanding the stories that formed us. After more than 250 years, one of the most significant ships in world history re -emerges to tell – once again – the past.
