King Kamehameha treasure
King Kamehameha treasure, A Hawaiian king's treasure, lost for more than 170 years at the bottom of the sea, has been returned to its homeland.
More than 1,000 artifacts belonging to King Kamehameha II, aka Liholiho, were lost when the second king of Hawaii's yacht sank off the coast of Kauai in April 1824.
The treasure of gold, silver and gems was buried beneath 10 feet of sand and 10 feet of water until shipwreck chaser Richard Rogers and a team of Smithsonian Institute scientists excavated it between 1995 and 2001, the Associated Press reported.
The researchers found items like a boat whistle, a ring, utensils and a trumpet shell which "hadn't been blown in over 170 years," according to Rogers.
"We did our homework and this find is invaluable because it all belonged to the king," Rogers said. "It is a fabulous window into the 1820s."
Since its recovery, the collection had been kept at the Smithsonian, which briefly displayed it several years ago. Some artifacts were examined at the Underwater Conservation Lab at Texas A&M University.
It's the first time the treasure has been shipped to Hawaii, even though the state owns the collection.Kauai Museum Director Jane Gray said the museum received 1,200-pounds of artifacts in March. She expects to unveil the items in an exhibit after she receives a shipment of two to three more crates.
The sunken yacht, named "Pride of Hawaii" was itself a treasure at the time, historian and Kauai Museum volunteer Zenon Wong said. The 83-foot-long ship, considered the first luxury ocean-going yacht in the U.S., cost $50,000 when it was purchased in 1816.
No one died when the ship sunk in a shallow reef. The reason for the wreck is not certain, although some records show that everyone on board was drunk on that fateful night, Wong said. Other documents indicate that an unexpected gale wind and a snapped anchor cable played roles.
Although the ship's booty is a treasure, it is prized for its historical value, said Paul F. Johnston, Ph.D., Curator of Maritime History at the National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution.
It belonged to the second king of Hawaii, who abolished the Hawaiian kapu socio-cultural system and allowed Christian missionaries into Hawaii.
"(Kamehameha II) only reigned from 1819 -1824, but Old Hawaii changed forever and irrevocably from the changes he put into place during that short period. He was an important member of our nation's only authentic royalty," Johnston said.
More than 1,000 artifacts belonging to King Kamehameha II, aka Liholiho, were lost when the second king of Hawaii's yacht sank off the coast of Kauai in April 1824.
The treasure of gold, silver and gems was buried beneath 10 feet of sand and 10 feet of water until shipwreck chaser Richard Rogers and a team of Smithsonian Institute scientists excavated it between 1995 and 2001, the Associated Press reported.
The researchers found items like a boat whistle, a ring, utensils and a trumpet shell which "hadn't been blown in over 170 years," according to Rogers.
"We did our homework and this find is invaluable because it all belonged to the king," Rogers said. "It is a fabulous window into the 1820s."
Since its recovery, the collection had been kept at the Smithsonian, which briefly displayed it several years ago. Some artifacts were examined at the Underwater Conservation Lab at Texas A&M University.
It's the first time the treasure has been shipped to Hawaii, even though the state owns the collection.Kauai Museum Director Jane Gray said the museum received 1,200-pounds of artifacts in March. She expects to unveil the items in an exhibit after she receives a shipment of two to three more crates.
The sunken yacht, named "Pride of Hawaii" was itself a treasure at the time, historian and Kauai Museum volunteer Zenon Wong said. The 83-foot-long ship, considered the first luxury ocean-going yacht in the U.S., cost $50,000 when it was purchased in 1816.
No one died when the ship sunk in a shallow reef. The reason for the wreck is not certain, although some records show that everyone on board was drunk on that fateful night, Wong said. Other documents indicate that an unexpected gale wind and a snapped anchor cable played roles.
Although the ship's booty is a treasure, it is prized for its historical value, said Paul F. Johnston, Ph.D., Curator of Maritime History at the National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution.
It belonged to the second king of Hawaii, who abolished the Hawaiian kapu socio-cultural system and allowed Christian missionaries into Hawaii.
"(Kamehameha II) only reigned from 1819 -1824, but Old Hawaii changed forever and irrevocably from the changes he put into place during that short period. He was an important member of our nation's only authentic royalty," Johnston said.
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King Kamehameha treasure
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