For centuries, European traders accused West African gold merchants of cheating by mixing in cheap metals or even glass. But a recent study of artifacts from a notorious pirate shipwreck has challenged that long-held myth. In 1717, the Whydah Gally—captained by the infamous “Black Sam” Bellamy—sank off Massachusetts, taking dozens of Akan gold pieces to the seafloor. Using electron beams and X-ray signatures, researchers analyzed 27 tiny artifacts from the stash and found they were 70 to 100% gold by weight. These numbers perfectly match the natural chemical signature of ore from the Ashanti Gold Belt in modern-day Ghana, suggesting that European skepticism was misplaced.
The New York Times
