Historical maritime and archaeological milestones in Cuba and Spain

Historical accounts highlight significant maritime and archaeological milestones in Spain and Cuba. In February 1519, Hernán Cortés departed from Havana, Cuba, with eleven ships without official permission from the governor. Having previously worked as a scribe in La Española and later as an administrator in Cuba, Cortés invested his fortune into the expedition that would eventually lead to his arrival in Mexico in April 1519.

In Sanlúcar, Spain, the Bonanza beach area holds historical importance ranging from the 1519 departure of Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet to the 1868 discovery of the ‘Bonanza Bronze’. This Roman-era bronze plaque, featuring a Latin legal inscription, provides critical insights into Roman law and the economic activities of ancient Baetica. While the original artifact is held at the National Archaeological Museum, a reproduction is displayed at the ‘Fábrica de Hielo’ visitor center in Sanlúcar.