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Treasurein Sunken Ships Of the tens of thousands of ships on the ocean bottom, only ahandful, less than 1 percent, contain negotiable treasure, such as goldand jewels. Most give us a different priceless treasure -- history. A sunkenship lies in trust, preserved in the airless environment of the sea andthose in deep water are especially well protected. No dry land sitesanywhere -- except perhaps Egyptian tombs -- are in a better state ofpreservation than a vessel deep in the ocean. A sunken ship,therefore, can be a rare window through which a moment in time is glimpsed. This is not to imply that sunken ships are alwaysfound intact. Most ships break up on the way down, hit the bottom at about 100miles per hour, and become a chaotic, confusing jumble. I recall the chagrin ofa novice diver who, after surfacing from an underwater tour of a 400-footship, asked his diving buddy, Where was the wreck? It takesexperience to actually know a sunken ship when one seesit. But no matter what its condition on the way down, a shipdeteriorates much more slowly as it sinks deeper into protective layers ofsand and mud. Ancient vessels have been found in remarkably good condition. In1977 a group of marine archaeologists excavating a 900-year-old wreck recoveredengraved glassware. Greek coins, bronze kettles, and amazingly, Greek jarscontaining seeds, almonds, and lentils -- even a plate with chicken bones. 全文翻译：沉船中的宝藏 | 
