Education
He attended Purdue University and was a member of The Delta Chi Fraternity.
He attended Purdue University and was a member of The Delta Chi Fraternity.
Mel found the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha named after a shrine in Madrid for protection. He discovered the wreck July 20, 1985. The estimated $450 million cache recovered, known as "Motherlode," included 40 tons of gold and silver.
There were some 114,000 of the Spanish silver coins known as "pieces of eight", gold coins, Colombian emeralds, gold and silver artifacts, and 1000 silver ingots.
Large as it was, this was only roughly half of the treasure that went down with the Atocha. The wealthiest part of the ship, the stern castle, is yet to be foundation
Still missing are 300 silver bars and 8 bronze cannons, among other things. The site of the wreckage of the Atocha, called "The Bank of Spain", (a sandy area 22 feet deep and within 200 yards of the anchor location), is still being worked on and treasures are slowly being recovered.
The emeralds from the Atocha are some of the finest emeralds in the world.
They come from the Muzo Mine in Colombia. The emeralds of Muzo are renowned for their color and are the world standard by which all emeralds are judged. The Supreme Court of the United States confirmed Fisher"s ownership to the recovered treasure and transferred ownership of 75% of the appraised value of all material recovered.
Fisher"s company, Salvors Incorporated., found remains of several shipwrecks in Florida waters, including the Atocha"s sister galleon the Santa Margarita, lost in the same year, and the remains of a slave ship known as the Henrietta Marie, lost in 1700.
Mel Fisher hired Duncan Matthewson as chief archaeologist during the Atocha period, and Salvors, Incorporated. became experts in recovery and conservation of underwater artifacts, remaining active as of 2009. Fisher blended private and public interests when it came to underwater cultural resources.
Concern in the United States., and Florida specifically, for protection of submerged archaeological sites contributed to the 2001 adoption of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
Delta Chirurgical