A smelly find
Q
After two decades of recovering cannons, gold coins, and jewelry from a 340-year-old Swedish shipwreck, marine archeologists also discovered what?
A
A chunk of cheese.
Q
How did they find it?
A
While exploring the wreckage of the 17th century Swedish royal vessel Kronan, Kalmar Museum researcher Lars Einarsson noticed a small jar buried in the mud at the bottom of the shipwreck. When he brought it to the surface, the decrease in pressure caused some of the contents to ooze out of the container. “That’s when the smell hit us,” Einarsson told local media. “It’s a pretty good guess that it’s some kind of dairy product, and we think it is cheese.”
Q
Is it edible?
A
The latest, smelly find might say something about 17th century tastes, though despite what people often say about cheese and age, he has his doubts. “It’s been in the mud, so it’s reasonably well preserved, but at the same time it has been at the bottom of the sea for 340 years,” said Einarsson. “I certainly don’t recommend tasting it.”