A study indicates that hundreds of people could be heirs to the treasure of the Spanish ship Oriflame, sunk in 1770 with a cargo of La Granja glass. The legal dispute pits a Peruvian claiming the treasure off the coast of Peru against a Catalan searching for it from Spain. For the public, this implies a potential litigation over historical riches that could affect inheritance rights.
Tracking technology: sonars and drones to locate the submerged cargo 🚁
The search for the Oriflame combines side-scan sonar and autonomous underwater vehicles. These devices generate high-resolution maps of the seabed, identifying metal anomalies or wooden structures. On land, 3D modeling software allows reconstructing the cargo distribution. However, the depth and currents off the Peruvian coast complicate operations, requiring millimeter precision to avoid damaging possible remains of La Granja glass.
Grandpa was right: grandma's glass really was from a galleon 🏺
While lawyers argue over who has more right to a cargo that has been underwater for 250 years, potential heirs are already fighting over the will. The curious thing is that, if the treasure appears, the Spanish treasury could claim its share. So, between the Peruvian, the Catalan, and the tax authorities, the La Granja glass will end up as a legal puzzle. That said, if you find an antique glass in the attic, you might hit the jackpot. Or get a letter from a court.