The wreck of Ses Fontanelles will be extracted in segments to ensure its integrity

The co-director of the project, Miquel Àngel Cau, highlights that the technical team is already working on the next step, which is to draft a protocol for dealing with potential adverse weather events to ensure the successful development of the future extraction.

The Consell de Mallorca and the scientific direction of the ARQUEOMALLORNAUTA project have once again brought together a group of experts to outline the extraction and conservation of the Ses Fontanelles wreck.

“One of the main conclusions is the urgent need to extract the wreck due to the constant threat of marine weather agents,” asserts one of the project's co-directors, Miquel Àngel Cau. The research will continue under the auspices of the ARQUEOMALLORNAUTA scientific project, responsible for the excavation and extraction of the Ses Fontanelles wreck and its subsequent study, along with other tasks aimed at understanding the role of Mallorca in late antique trade.

One of the main updates of this meeting has been the final decision on the extraction method: the possibility of extracting the ship in one single block or in two large portions has been discarded due to the absence of a keel and the high costs and associated risks. Therefore, it has been decided, as explained by one of the co-directors of the project, Miquel Àngel Cau, “to opt for an extraction by segments of a maximum of 100-150 kg, which will ensure the integrity of the remains and allow for safe handling.”

Another highlight is the urgent need to construct a repository at the Castell de Sant Carles, where the desalination process and the study of the ship’s naval architecture will take place. Additionally, a temporary field laboratory will be set up for the initial treatment of the pieces, which will be analyzed to determine the best conservation system.

Finally, to ensure the successful development of the project, it has been agreed to draft a protocol of action for potential adverse weather events, both at the original site of the wreck and at the facilities where the conservation work will be carried out.

With these measures, the Consell de Mallorca reaffirms its commitment to the protection and preservation of the island's underwater heritage, in collaboration with experts and specialized institutions to ensure the future of one of Mallorca's most important archaeological finds.