Bonaparte’s flet.
1998
The fleet that carried Bonaparte and his scientists to Egypt was destroyed by Nelson during the famous Battle of Aboukir in the bay north-east of Alexandria on 1 August 1798.
The wreck of the flagship of this fleet, the Orient, was discovered by Jacques Dumas in 1983. In 1998, thirteen years after his death, the excavation of the Orient was resumed by Franck Goddio and continued for several years. In addition to the Orient, which was over 2700 tons and carried 126 cannons, the frigates Artémise and Sérieuse were uncovered. The Sérieuse, the smallest ship in the fleet, sank during a desperate attempt to block the passage of the British fleet.
Seven anchors belonging to different ships were found around the Orient. They help to reconstruct the exact positions of each ships just before the tremendous explosion that destroyed the Orient. One of the most remarkable results of the work of the IEASM, directed by Franck Goddio, is the creation of detailed maps of the seabed in Aboukir Bay. These maps allow us to understand the positioning of the ships during the battle and shed light on the tactics of both sides, as well as the course of the battle itself. The arrangement of the wreckage of the Orient and its dispersal over more than half a square kilometre has led to the conclusion that the gigantic warship was not destroyed by one explosion as previously believed, but by two almost simultaneous explosions.
In addition to the cannon, weapons and ammunition, numerous everyday objects were found that shed valuable light on the ships’ crew and their daily lives. In addition, numerous gold, silver and copper coins from France were found, some dating back to the time of Louis XIV, others to the time of Louis XV, the majority to the time of Louis XVI. Even more surprising are the gold coins from Malta, the Ottoman Empire, Venice, Spain and Portugal, which suggest that they may be part of the Maltese treasure that Bonaparte looted on his way to Egypt.
Publication in progress.
Seven anchors belonging to different ships were found around the Orient. They help to reconstruct the exact positions of each ships just before the tremendous explosion that destroyed the Orient. One of the most remarkable results of the work of the IEASM, directed by Franck Goddio, is the creation of detailed maps of the seabed in Aboukir Bay. These maps allow us to understand the positioning of the ships during the battle and shed light on the tactics of both sides, as well as the course of the battle itself. The arrangement of the wreckage of the Orient and its dispersal over more than half a square kilometre has led to the conclusion that the gigantic warship was not destroyed by one explosion as previously believed, but by two almost simultaneous explosions.
In addition to the cannon, weapons and ammunition, numerous everyday objects were found that shed valuable light on the ships’ crew and their daily lives. In addition, numerous gold, silver and copper coins from France were found, some dating back to the time of Louis XIV, others to the time of Louis XV, the majority to the time of Louis XVI. Even more surprising are the gold coins from Malta, the Ottoman Empire, Venice, Spain and Portugal, which suggest that they may be part of the Maltese treasure that Bonaparte looted on his way to Egypt.
Publication in progress.