Code Cracked for Shipwreck Padlock Solving 400-Year-Old Mystery
Experts have cracked a four-letter code to open an ancient brass lock from a shipwreck off the Welsh coast, dating back 400 years. Discovered by metal detectorist Peter Hughes in 1999 near Margam in Port Talbot, the lock was part of a treasure hoard from the Ann Francis ship caught in a storm in 1583.
The lock, along with Spanish silver coins and coin weights, was hidden beneath the sand for centuries. Hughes, from Maesteg, spent 21 years trying to unlock the padlock before the expert team at Amgueddfa Cymru and Cardiff University used CT scanning to solve the mystery.
"It was by chance... I was walking along the beach with my metal detector... and I came across a coin," Hughes recalled. "That was the start of a journey that lasted 21 years."
Dr David Williams from Cardiff University described the experience of cracking the code as "like a puzzle." After several attempts, they finally deciphered the code, "ANCE," through a series of scans and adjustments.
The lock, now on display at Swansea Waterfront Museum, is in remarkable condition, providing a glimpse into the past. Alastair Willis, senior curator at the museum, noted the complexity of the lock, with 1,296 possible combinations, each requiring precise alignment.
"It's a small object... probably would have been a lock for a chest or a small box," Siân Iles, another curator, said, emphasizing the historical value of the discovery.
This recent development highlights the importance of modern technology in archaeology and the potential for uncovering historical mysteries.