385年前金制微型牙籤耳勺現世

Experts found a tiny gold combined toothpick and earwax spoon, believed to be more than 385 years old, during the search for a shipwrecked Spanish galleon off the Florida Keys.

The late 16th or early 17th century grooming tool, which weighs only about an ounce, was located Sunday by Blue Water Ventures diver Chris Rackley as he searched the area about 22 feet below the surface and 40 miles west of Key West. He says its value could exceed $100,000.

The divers, who are searching the shipwreck trail of the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita that sank in a 1622 hurricane, also recovered ceramic pieces, spikes, ships' fittings, rigging elements and two skeleton keys.

"We were on the trail on the Margarita site following the artifact scatter pattern to the north," said Blue Water head archaeologist Dr. R. Duncan Mathewson. "This is the furthest point on that trail where gold has ever been found before, so it confirms that we're on the right trail."

The search for Santa Margarita artifacts began more than a quarter-century ago by the late Key West treasure hunter Mel Fisher. Today, the Blue Water team is leading that search under a joint-venture partnership with the Fisher family owned company, Motivation Inc.

Almost a year ago, Blue Water divers located gold bars, gold chains and a lead box containing thousands of pearls that were carried by the Margarita. The value of that find was estimated at more than $2 million.

日前，尋寶專家在佛羅里達礁島羣附近搜尋一艘失事的西班牙帆船時，發現了一個一體的微型金制牙籤和耳勺。據說這套工具已有超過385年的歷史。

這套清潔工具製造於16世紀晚期或17世紀初期，僅重約1盎司（約28克）。這套工具是碧水探險隊的潛水員克里斯•拉克利上週日在西礁島以西40英里、水下22英尺的水域找到的。克里斯說，它的價值可能會超過10萬美元。

當天，潛水員在該水域搜尋1622年在颶風中沉沒的西班牙“聖瑪格麗塔”帆船的殘跡時，還發現了一些陶器、金屬片、船上的零件和帆索以及兩把萬能鑰匙。

碧水探險隊的首席考古學家R•頓肯•馬修森博士說：“我們一直在尋找瑪格麗塔的殘跡。我們跟隨船上散落古物的分佈一直向北航行，這是找到金子的最遠的地方，這證明我們的路線是正確的。”

“聖瑪格麗塔”尋寶活動開始於25年前，當時的負責人是西礁島已故尋寶專家梅爾•費舍爾。如今，碧水探險隊與費舍爾家族所屬的“動力集團”建立了合資合作關係，負責開展尋寶活動。

近一年前，碧水探險隊成員在尋寶時找到了金條、金鍊和一個盛有幾千顆珍珠的鉛盒。據估計，這次發現的寶藏總價值超過200萬美元。