On October 10, 2026, the Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage (IAPH), an entity under the Ministry of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sports, has released an educational booklet aimed at immersing young readers in a significant episode of Cádiz's maritime history: the attack by English privateer Francis Drake in 1587, which resulted in the sinking of the Genoese ship 'San Giorgio e Sant'Elmo Buonaventura'. This vessel is currently identified with the archaeological site known as Delta II.
The booklet, titled 'The Day Drake Attacked Cádiz: History Through a Shipwreck', features original texts and illustrations that reconstruct the journey of this ship, which was part of the 16th-century commercial, political, and military networks. It is available in both print and digital formats through the Cultural Shops of Andalusia and has been coordinated editorially and scientifically by the IAPH as part of its 'e-ph divulga' collection.
One of the main editorial objectives of the IAPH is to transfer knowledge produced by its teams to the public and demonstrate how research can interpret, conserve, and provide new meanings to heritage. According to Patricia del Pozo, the Minister of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sports, "the researchers from the IAPH and the Underwater Archaeology Center not only conduct reference scientific studies but also fulfill the commitment to inform Andalusian society, especially the youth, about the value of submerged cultural assets—a fragile, often invisible, and particularly vulnerable heritage that constitutes an exceptional source of knowledge to understand our past."
Del Pozo added, "Through its reading, we hope to awaken curiosity, emotion, and commitment to the conservation of Andalusian maritime heritage." The new booklet not only recounts a story of ships, goods, and confrontations but also illustrates how science and interdisciplinary work can recover a memory that remained submerged for centuries in the waters of Cádiz Bay.
Cádiz is a city intrinsically linked to the sea, having served as an open gateway to the world, a source of wealth, and a meeting place, but also a stage of danger, conflict, and uncertainty. The history of the Genoese ship known as Delta II is situated within this relationship between the city and the sea.
Specifically, the booklet details the history of the Delta II wreck, discovered in 2012 during archaeological work related to the construction of the first phase of the new container terminal at the Port of Cádiz, promoted by the Port Authority of Cádiz Bay (APBC). Following this discovery, the Underwater Archaeology Center of the IAPH undertook significant research and intervention efforts at the site until it was identified as the 'San Giorgio e Sant'Elmo Buonaventura', also known as 'Vassalla Piccola', which sank during Drake's attack on Cádiz in 1587.
The Delta II wreck is one of the most unique testimonies of Andalusia's underwater cultural heritage. This site has allowed for the reconstruction of a key episode in European maritime history: the preparations for Philip II's Great Armada, the strategic role of the Cádiz port, and the intense commercial network connecting the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and America.
