迷彩军车:考古发现揭示真实的加勒比海盗

加勒比海盜「黑鬍子」船長不僅存在於電影《神鬼奇航：幽靈海》中，他也確實航行於300年前的大西洋上；美國水下考古學者近日在北卡羅萊納州(North Carolina)發現了一具「鬼盜船巨錨」，據信是屬於黑鬍子船長的「安妮皇后復仇號」(Queen Anne's Revenge)所有。
英國《每日電訊報》28日報導，北卡文化資源部的探險隊在為期兩個禮拜的發掘中，成功找到一具重達1.4噸重的巨錨，以及3團銹蝕的「人為金屬球」，這可用來當作砲彈使用；研究人員早先也曾尋獲這類型的「臨時配備」，如裝滿鉛彈、鐵釘、玻璃的帆布袋，它可經由大砲發射，成為威力驚人的武器。
根據18世紀的文件顯示，這些「釘彈」(langrage)是海盜的智慧發明，它不會對船隻造成嚴重破壞，但卻對人員有致命的殺傷力；探險隊長王爾德蘭辛(Dr Mark Wilde-Ramsing)指出，「安妮皇后復仇號」配有強大武裝，但卻鮮少使用，「因為光是臨時湊成的『釘彈』就已經夠對手受的」。
「黑鬍子」(Blackbeard)船長本名愛德華?汀奇(Edward Teach)，於英國與西班牙2國爭奪海上霸權時崛起；他在1715年時主動攻擊英國皇家海軍，但並非透過猛烈砲火交戰，而是選擇直接衝撞海軍戰艦，展開肉博式攻擊；這起行動殺得海軍措手不及，黑鬍子從此以嗜血及無懼聞名。
「黑鬍子」活躍於1715至1718年間，後來就再也不見他的蹤跡；傳言說，黑鬍子最後遭到皇家海軍斬首，屍體也被扔進海裡，不過他的無頭身軀並未立即死去，還繞著「安妮皇后復仇號」游了5圈才沉下去。
Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge wreck reveals secrets of the real Pirate of the Caribbean
Divers exploring the wreck of Blackbeard’s flagship Queen Anne's Revenge are bringing to the surface new evidence of the terrifying tactics used by the pirate.

By Jasper Copping 10:22AM BST 28 May 2011
He was a real-life pirate of the Caribbean, who carefully cultivated a bloodthirsty reputation that struck fear through seafarers.
Now, almost 300 years after Blackbeard's death, marine archaeologists have discovered a huge anchor and an arsenal of "improvised" ammunition from the wreck of his flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge.
New evidence about the terrifying and deadly tactics employed by Blackbeard is emerging from the diving expedition on the vessel’s presumed remains. The divers have discovered that weapons used by the pirate were not only intended to kill but were designed to strike terror into survivors and force them into a swift surrender.
The shipwreck lies in about 25ft of water just off the coast of theAmerican state of North Carolina and the expedition to recover artefacts is being led by the state’s Department of Cultural Resources.
During the two-week exploration, the team aimed to recover a 1.4 ton (3,000lb) anchor from the ship, which they have now successfully raised.