The Infamous Pirate City Of Port Royal, Jamaica
Texas A&M UniversityA diver exploring the sunken remains of Port Royal, Jamaica.
Once called the “Wickedest City on Earth,” part of Port Royal, Jamaica, sank after a disastrous earthquake in 1692. It vanished beneath Kingston Harbor, and today, 13 acres of ruins lie 35 feet under the water’s surface, according to UNESCO.
In the 17th century, Port Royal was famous around the world as a hub of piracy, prostitution, and drunkenness. Notorious pirates like Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, and Calico Jack were even known to spend time in the city.
However, on June 7, 1692, a massive earthquake rocked the island, causing its buildings to crumble. A tidal wave followed, pulling two-thirds of Port Royal into the water in just moments.
By the time it was all over, 33 acres of the city had slipped into the sea, and 2,000 people were dead. Another 3,000 died from injury and disease in the aftermath.
At the time, the destruction of Port Royal was seen as a modern-day tale of Sodom and Gomorrah — a city of sin justly destroyed. Today, however, it’s celebrated as a trove of archaeological wonder. It’s even a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Since excavations began in earnest in the 1950s, archaeologists have uncovered houses, shops, taverns, and ships. Some of the submerged buildings still held remnants of the businesses that once operated inside, such as animal bones, leather scraps and shoe soles, and glass liquor bottles.
These centuries-old artifacts continue to reveal what daily life was like in the Wickedest City on Earth before it sank beneath the waves.
