Early-18th Century Spanish Storage Jars Recovered from the Wreck of the San Jose in the Caribbean

I found it rather interesting this morning while editing a group of graphics for WBZ CBS Boston's morning show, to learn that I own a piece of pottery that is nearly identical to a group of jars that were just recovered from the wreck of the San Jose, a Spanish galleon ship which sunk in the Caribbean in 1708. The remains of this shipwreck were just recently identified thanks to analysis of the ship's distinctive cannons that were still intact. The ship also carried gold and silver reportedly worth about 17 billion dollars today. The discovery of the San Jose was also a feature story today on CBS This Morning.

However, a collection of early-eighteenth century Iberian Spanish storage jars were also recovered; the remains of some of these objects can be seen in the images that I have posted below. I would be interested to learn if any of the contents that were inside these jars had survived.

The shape and size of these objects also appear to match a jar I discovered in November 2016 at an onsite sale in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Most of the objects that were removed from this Federal Period home retained a nineteenth century history of ownership with the house; whereas, I have always assumed the jar I found was shipped to Newburyport in the 1700s.

Interestingly, very-similar jars have also been recovered from the Piscataqua River between Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. These jars have also been described as early-eighteenth century and Spanish in origin.

Note: Here is a link to an eighteenth or nineteenth century Spanish storage jar that I discovered a few years ago at a flea market that matches a storage jar that was recently recovered by archaeologists from a nineteenth-century privy on the property of the Paul Revere House in Boston. I was told by the dealer at the flea market that he had just found the jar in an old house in Amesbury, Massachusetts.

Spanish Storage Jars Recovered from the San Jose Wreck in the Carribean

 Early-18th Century Spanish Earthenware Storage Jars

Recovered from the Wreck of the San Jose in the Caribbean

The Wreck Happened in 1708, Which Dates these Objects

Similar Jars have Also Been Found in Newburyport, Mass. and Portsmouth, NH

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Photo Courtesy: The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Another Look at the Spanish Jars

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Photo Courtesy: The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Spanish Storage Jar Found in Newburyport, Mass.

Early-18th Century Painted Spanish Storage Jar Found in Newburyport, Mass.

The Paint is Not Original

Found in a Federal Period House in Newburyport, Mass. in November 2016

Form is Very-Similar to the Jars Recovered from the Wreck of the San Jose in the Carribean

Stands 22" Tall

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 Another View of the Jar

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 Another View of the Jar

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Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...