A vast scatter trail of treasure has been uncovered along a 3-mile stretch, revealing the hidden riches of the famous shipwreck, Maravillas. The Spanish galleon sank over three centuries ago in the Bahamas, and experts believed it had been salvaged to oblivion. However, after four years of underwater archaeology, Allen Exploration has mapped an extensive trail of scattered artifacts.

The Maravillas, laden with silver bars, coins, and precious gems, sank on January 4, 1656, while en route back to Spain. Over the years, it was salvaged numerous times, first by Spanish salvors and later by English and American crews. Modern salvage teams rediscovered the wreck between 1972 and 1991, extracting substantial amounts of gold, silver, jewelry, and other valuable items.

Contrary to previous beliefs, the recent archaeological efforts have revealed that the wreck still holds untold treasures. Licensed by the Bahamian government, Allen Exploration has painstakingly mapped the scatter trail, uncovering artifacts such as lead musket balls, silver coins, emeralds, amethysts, and even gold chains and jewels inlaid with precious gems. These valuable items were likely scattered before the Spanish salvage operations began in 1656.

The findings challenge the theory that the wreckage was dispersed by centuries of hurricanes and storms. Instead, the artifacts are concentrated in one trail running southeast, defying expectations. The research conducted by Allen Exploration sheds new light on the history of the Maravillas and provides valuable insights into the survival and dispersal of its treasures.

The discovery of this scattered treasure highlights the ongoing importance of underwater archaeology and the potential for uncovering hidden historical riches.