Archaeologists discover large keel at Ciutadella I site

The team of archeologists, who, in April, discovered the remains of a century-old ship known as Ciutadella I on an empty lot around Barcelona’s Ciutadella park, has made another finding.

This time, they have found what appears to be a large keel, the central structural beam along the bottom of a ship’s hull. 

The pìece measures 3.43 meters long and could either belong to the Ciutadella I shipwreck or an entirely different one.

Now, it’s up to the archaeological team to analyse the materials and conduct a stratigraphical study to determine its origins, a process that can take between six months to a year.

The keel was discovered while the team was conducting archaeological monitoring work using machinery. 

A piece became stuck to one of the pilings, which could have caused damage, so the team switched to manual excavation to carefully remove the piece. 

Once secured, an excavator was used to complete the extraction safely.

Santiago Palacios, director of the excavation team, told Catalan media that one of the most notable features of the keel is the presence of a rabbet, a groove cut into the upper edge used to hold the first planks of the ship’s outer hull.

The shape and function of the rabbet are characteristic of the Atlantic shipbuilding tradition, particularly techniques used in the 16th century for large, commercial vessels. 

Although it is still too early to determine with certainty, the features suggest a possible link to modern ships built following Atlantic models.

Extraction of Ciutadella I

At the same time, the team continues extracting the Ciutadella I ship. The recovered pieces are being stored in water to prevent them from drying out and deteriorating.

The full extraction of Ciutadella is expected to be completed within the next fifteen days.

According to Palacios, 15% of the site remains unexplored, and he doesn’t rule out finding other pieces. 

“Imagine if another part of the ship shows up,” he said, “it would be spectacular.”

Because of its size, the keel cannot be submerged in water for preservation, as is done with other pieces. Instead, it has been covered with a large piece of canvas and is regularly sprayed manually with hoses to prevent deterioration.

Once the full excavation work is done, the pieces will be transferred to a conservation center in Barcelona’s Zona Franca, where they will be put in containers and cleaned thoroughly.