16th-Century Shipwreck Padlock Unlocked After 440 Years Using Micro-CT
Researchers have unlocked a 16th-century brass padlock from the shipwreck of the Anne Francis off Wales using micro-CT scanning, revealing the four-letter combination ANCE.
A 16th-century brass padlock recovered from the wreck of the English ship "Anne Francis," which sank off the coast of Wales in December 1583, has been successfully unlocked after more than 440 years. Researchers used advanced micro-CT scanning technology to reveal the four-letter combination, ANCE, without damaging the delicate artifact.
The vessel encountered a violent storm on December 28, 1583, while returning from Spain, and was driven off course before crashing onto the shores of Margam near Port Talbot in south Wales. The wreck and its extraordinary cargo remained buried beneath the sand for centuries until discovered by metal detectorist Peter Hughes. The National Museum Wales subsequently acquired the collection.
Experts from Cardiff University utilized high-resolution computed tomography, typically used for examining bones and biological structures, to peer inside the lock's intricate mechanism. The scans mapped out the internal alignment of the rotating rings, pinpointing the correct sequence. "By creating a detailed three-dimensional image of the internal mechanism, we were able to see how the notches align with the letters," said Dr. David Williams of Cardiff University's School of Engineering.
Historians believe the padlock secured a small box containing valuables. It was discovered alongside Spanish silver coins and coin-weight standard weights. Alistair Willis, senior curator of numismatics and Welsh economy at the National Museum Wales, noted that while Elizabethan combination locks are known, this specimen is exceptionally well-preserved and directly linked to a shipwreck, offering a unique historical puzzle out of 1,296 possible combinations.
