Chole Channel Shipwreck Excavation

In 1977, local divers in Tanzania stumbled upon a wooden shipwreck in shallow rocky waters half a mile from the southern shores of Juani Island in Mafia archipelago in Tanzania off the East African Coast. They found ten brass cannons, three anchors, fragments of cannon balls and a bronze bell. The bell was recovered and bore the following inscription: ‘H … &B H Co. 180_’ (it was unclear whether the last figure was a 0 or 9). These finds suggested that the shipwreck was from the 18th century, confirming Indian Ocean maritime trade during the period. The ship was believed to be a wooden Portuguese-made gunboat that may have been sunk by hurricane. In 1978, Robin Piercy and Hamo Sassoon made a failed attempt at accessing the site. The two reported accounts of fishermen who claimed the site was in a gulley between lumps of rock, and the bell was recovered and sent to the Mafia District Commissioners office.

With the assistance of INA funding, the Juani shipwreck was surveyed by Dr. Caesar Bita over two seasons between 2023 and 2024, logging around 200 dives to depths of 17 feet. The site is spread over a 30-meter area and lies on a coral gulley with sections of fine sand and thick marine vegetation cover. The survey recorded eight cannons, one iron anchor, several cannon balls, and a broken piece of brass plate. Seven cannons lie piled together in a coral crevice about 20 meters south of the anchor and one canon about 25 meters west of the anchor. The anchor embedded in the coral gulley measures 4.3 m long, has two rings and no stock, and has one missing ring. Close examination of the anchor suggests that it is of the 18th century types commonly found on Portuguese and European ships.

Since the first person to develop interest in this shipwreck and report it nationally and internationally was Robbin Piercy, the study christened the vessel the Robin shipwreck. Piercy is a pioneer researcher who was particularly instrumental in the study of the Portuguese Santa Antonio de Tanna shipwreck in Mombasa. Kenya. A thorough study and excavation of the Juani / Robin shipwreck will provide a glimpse into the vibrancy of Indian Ocean maritime trading. This will highlight the economic exchanges, goods and other aspects of maritimity including connections between the Western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic Ocean.