What's Next for the Margarita Pearls?

by R. Duncan Mathewson III, Ph.D., BWVKW Archaeological Director

Preliminary research on the pearls clearly suggests that this assemblage of 1622 pearls is one of the biggest and best preserved collections of its type ever before found together in such good condition on a historic shipwreck. No doubt the silt inside the lead box all contributed to their excellent preservation. Its historical and archaeological significance is only just beginning to emerge. Many months of research and expert analysis will be necessary before we extract all the information we can from this assemblage.

But the pearls are already beginning to come into focus with some preliminary enquiries with specialists who have been working with pearls for years at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). It is clear that this pearl assemblage is from the Isle of Margarita off the Venezuelan coast. History tells us that ever since Columbus's discovery of the Americas, pearls from the Isle of Margarita were one of the most sought after Spanish riches of the New World. And the documented research of the 1622 fleet disaster by Dr. Lyon also tells us that at least one merchant vessel of the 1622 Flotilla made a special visit to the Isle of Margarita to collect pearls from the Indian pearl divers who regularly supplied the treasure ships with the much sought after luxury commodity. They free dived up from 100 feet. The historical facts very clearly jives with the archaeological evidence from the sea bed establishing beyond any doubts that these pearls from the break up of the Santa Margarita must be originally from the pearl divers of the Isle of Margarita within a contextual date of no later than 1622.


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Margarita Island, Venezuela
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