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Image Credit: Richard Bezzaza
Silver Coin Discovery Confirms Lost Spanish Colony at the Strait of Magellan
Archaeologists working in southern Chile have uncovered a 16th-century Spanish silver coin near the Strait of Magellan, providing strong evidence for the location of a long-lost colonial settlement. The coin, known as an “8-real” or “piece of eight,” was discovered during excavations at the site of Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe, a short-lived Spanish colony founded in 1584.
The coin was found placed atop a stone within the underground foundations of what is believed to be the settlement’s first church. This placement aligns closely with historical records describing a ceremonial practice carried out when Spanish colonies were established, in which a coin was deposited as part of a Christian ritual. The discovery therefore offers a rare confirmation of written accounts through physical evidence.
Historical descriptions by a Spanish navigator had previously suggested the exact location of this ceremony. The new find supports the reliability of those records and helps researchers identify the layout of the settlement with greater accuracy. Earlier investigations at the site had already located bronze cannons based on the same historical sources.
Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe was founded as part of Spain’s effort to control the strategic Strait of Magellan, a crucial maritime route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. However, the colony quickly failed. Harsh environmental conditions, combined with disease, starvation, and isolation, led to the deaths of most of its approximately 350 settlers within a few years. Attempts to resupply the settlement were unsuccessful, and it was ultimately abandoned.
Using metal detection and geolocation tools, archaeologists have now been able to pinpoint key structural features of the settlement. The confirmed location of the church provides an important reference point for reconstructing the broader spatial organization of the colony, although further excavation is still required to verify other structures such as dwellings and defensive features.
The findings also indicate that the site had been inhabited by Indigenous communities before and after the Spanish occupation, suggesting that the location may have been chosen in part due to its existing human presence. Despite this, the settlers struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar environment, leading to the colony’s rapid decline.
Published on: 08-04-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Live Science