Batavia was carrying several chests of silver coins to buy goods from Asia, especially spices. Most were recovered from the wreck at the time, but two chests were left behind; one trapped under a cannon and one that had been broken open by drunken crew and its contents scattered.
These three coins are modern replicas of coins found on Batavia – they are new copies of old coins. But, amongst the coins recovered from the wreck, researchers found old copies of old coins – 400-year-old forgeries.
The real coins were made of silver, but the fakes were made of cheaper materials. Batavia’s merchants may not have been able to tell the difference, but the effect of seawater on the different metals helped our researchers find the frauds.
Jugs with attitude
Batavia was carrying lots of stoneware jugs. They were called Bartmannkrug (bearded man, or beardman, jugs) – can you see why?
Archaeologist recovers jug from wreck. Photo from WA Museum
Most were made near Cologne (Köln) in Germany. They were strong and sturdy, perfect for storing liquids like wine, vinegar and beer, so became very popular.
There are hundreds of different designs; different factories and artists had their own ideas. All feature a bearded man, but his expressions vary.
This is a 3D printed replica of one of the jugs from the wreck. Do you think he looks happy?