This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Experts from Amgueddfa Cymru and Cardiff University have used cutting-edge CT scanning technology to unlock a centuries-old combination lock recovered from one of Wales' most remarkable maritime discoveries. The brass lock, discovered as part of the Ann Francis treasure hoard, had remained firmly locked since the ship was wrecked off the Welsh coast in 1583.
Now, more than 400 years later, researchers have revealed the four-letter code that secured it for centuries: ANCE. The Ann Francis was caught in a ferocious storm on the evening of Dec. 28, 1583, while returning from Spain and was blown off course before wrecking on Margam Beach, near Port Talbot. The ship's extraordinary cargo remained hidden beneath the sand for centuries, until it was uncovered by metal detectorists before being acquired by Amgueddfa Cymru—Museum Wales.
Working alongside specialists at Cardiff University, museum experts used CT scanning technology to examine the lock's internal mechanism without causing any damage. The scans allowed researchers to identify the correct letter combination and successfully unlock the historic artifact. David Williams, a research associate based at the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility at Cardiff University's School of Engineering, said, "Micro-CT scanning allowed us to look inside the lock without damaging it." "By creating a detailed 3D image of the internal mechanism, I could see how the notches lined up with the letters and identify the exact combination.
We normally use this technology to study bones and other biological structures, so investigating a 400-year-old padlock was certainly a first for us. I had to wait until later that evening for the museum team to test the combination, so getting the message that we'd cracked it was incredibly satisfying," said Williams, postdoctoral research associate. "It's not every day you get to solve a 400-year-old mystery." It is believed the lock once secured a small chest containing items of significant value.
Found near a collection of Spanish silver coins and close to two coin weights recovered from the wreck site, the lock may have protected these objects or secured a chest containing valuable items that have not survived, such as documents or textiles. "Elizabethan combination locks are known in Britain, but this one is in exceptionally good condition and is associated with a dated wreck, making it a unique find and the code a tantalizing mystery to solve. Of course, now we've solved it, we are left wondering if the code meant something to its owner," said Alastair Willis, senior curator for numismatics and the Welsh economy at Amgueddfa Cymru.
The majority of the ship's remarkable hoard was discovered by metal detectorist Peter Hughes over a period of 21 years between 1996 and 2017. Peter uncovered the treasure after dredging and storms stripped away layers of sand from Margam Beach, revealing traces of this dazzling 16th-century collection. "When I found the lock I was immediately astonished by the incredible workmanship and its astonishing condition.
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