Divers find combined gold toothpick, earwax spoon

      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，寻宝专家在佛罗里达礁岛群附近搜寻一艘失事的西班牙帆船时，发现了一个一体的微型金制牙签和耳勺。据说这套工具已有超过385年的历史。

      这套清洁工具制造于16世纪晚期或17世纪初期，仅重约1盎司（约28克）。这套工具是碧水探险队的潜水员克里斯•拉克利上周日在西礁岛以西40英里、水下22英尺的水域找到的。克里斯说，它的价值可能会超过10万美元。

      当天，潜水员在该水域搜寻1622年在飓风中沉没的西班牙“圣玛格丽塔”帆船的残迹时，还发现了一些陶器、金属片、船上的零件和帆索以及两把万能钥匙。

      碧水探险队的首席考古学家R•顿肯•马修森博士说：“我们一直在寻找玛格丽塔的残迹。我们跟随船上散落古物的分布一直向北航行，这是找到金子的最远的地方，这证明我们的路线是正确的。”

      “圣玛格丽塔”寻宝活动开始于25年前，当时的负责人是西礁岛已故寻宝专家梅尔•费舍尔。如今，碧水探险队与费舍尔家族所属的“动力集团”建立了合资合作关系，负责开展寻宝活动。

      近一年前，碧水探险队成员在寻宝时找到了金条、金链和一个盛有几千颗珍珠的铅盒。据估计，这次发现的宝藏总价值超过200万美元。