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Code cracked for shipwreck padlock solving 400-year-old mystery

Researchers have cracked a four-letter combination code on a brass padlock recovered from a 16th-century shipwreck off the coast of Wales. Scientists utilized modern technology, including CT scans, to reveal the secret sequence ANCE that secured the lock since the vessel sank more than four centuries ago. The artifact formed part of a treasure hoard from the ship Ann Francis, which went down off the South Wales coast in 1583. A collaborative team from Amgueddfa Cymru Museum Wales and Cardiff University successfully unlocked the maritime mystery without damaging the fragile historic item.

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  • ✓ Scientists cracked the four-letter code ANCE on a 16th-century brass padlock recovered from a shipwreck.
  • ✓ The padlock originated from the wreck of the Ann Francis, which sank off the South Wales coast in 1583.
  • ✓ A collaborative team from Amgueddfa Cymru Museum Wales and Cardiff University used CT scans to reveal the combination.
  • ✓ The brass lock was discovered as part of a treasure hoard found in the sand near Port Talbot.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 13 independent reporting domains (100% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

Researchers successfully used CT scans to reveal the four-letter combination code protecting the 16th-century shipwreck padlock.

Live updates

  1. Scientists Crack 400-Year-Old Code on Welsh Shipwreck Padlock

    Researchers have cracked a four-letter combination code on a brass padlock recovered from a 16th-century shipwreck off the coast of Wales. Scientists utilized modern technology, including CT scans, to reveal the secret sequence ANCE that secured the lock since the vessel sank more than four centuries ago. The artifact formed part of a treasure hoard from the ship Ann Francis, which went down off the South Wales coast in 1583. A collaborative team from Amgueddfa Cymru Museum Wales and Cardiff University successfully unlocked the maritime mystery without damaging the fragile historic item.

    Why it matters

    The sealed padlock remained firmly closed since the vessel wrecked in 1583, hiding its contents from historians and archaeologists for generations. Finding the internal combination through non-invasive scanning allows researchers to examine protected artifacts without risking physical destruction. The discovery provides a rare window into the cargo handling and security methods of early modern maritime trade.

    What is confirmed

    • Scientists cracked the four-letter code ANCE on a 16th-century brass padlock recovered from a shipwreck.
    • The padlock originated from the wreck of the Ann Francis, which sank off the South Wales coast in 1583.
    • A collaborative team from Amgueddfa Cymru Museum Wales and Cardiff University used CT scans to reveal the combination.
    • The brass lock was discovered as part of a treasure hoard found in the sand near Port Talbot.

    What to watch next

    • Further examination of the contents inside the newly unlocked padlock from the Ann Francis wreck
    • Official announcements from Amgueddfa Cymru Museum Wales and Cardiff University regarding additional artifacts found in the treasure hoard
    Sources used for this update (14)
    1. nypost.com — New York Post – Breaking News, Top Headlines, Photos & Videos
    2. BBC — Code cracked for shipwreck padlock solving 400-year-old mystery
    3. Phys.org — CT scans reveal four-letter code to 400-year-old lock from Welsh shipwreck
    4. New York Post — ‘Like opening the Ark Of The Covenant’: Scientists crack code on treasure ship’s padlock — solving 400-year-old maritime mystery
    5. The Telegraph — Combination lock from shipwreck cracked after 400 years
    6. The Independent — Scientists crack code to 400-year-old padlock from shipwreck
    7. Popular Science — Archeologists crack a shipwreck’s 400-year-old combination lock
    8. english.aawsat.com — Scan Reveals Four-Letter Code to 400-Year-Old Lock from Welsh Shipwreck
    9. www.yahoo.com — MTV Dirty Sanchez star Michael 'Pancho' Locke dies aged 47
    10. www.bbc.com — Code cracked for shipwreck padlock solving 400-year-old mystery
    11. www.independent.co.uk — Scientists crack code to 400-year-old padlock from shipwreck
    12. www.yahoo.com — 400-Year-Old Mystery Solved as Researchers Crack Secret Code ...
    confidence 100%
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