Leading Caribbean archaeologist, Dr. Marco Meniketti, participated in dive excavations in Port Royal, Jamaica. Photo Credit: © Wall to Wall Media Ltd/ Marcy Cox.
A team of experts, including SJSU Assistant Professor Marco Meniketti, explore the underwater remains of Port Royal, Jamaica — “the world’s wickedest city” — for National Geographic Channel. “Wicked Pirate City” airs May 15 at 7 a.m.
Here is a description from the National Geographic Channel press release:
“In the 17th century, Port Royal enticed some of the Caribbean’s most notorious buccaneers, pirates and privateers with the promise of easy plunder, well-stocked drinking houses, rampant gambling and loose women. Then, in 1692, a catastrophic earthquake shook Port Royal, liquefying the earth beneath it. Within minutes, the heart of the city slid into the sea, most likely from a deadly tsunami. Thousands perished.
“Now, with exclusive access to one of the most important underwater archaeological sites in the Western Hemisphere, NGC dives beneath the waves to bring a real sunken pirate city back to life in ‘Wicked Pirate City.’ This two-hour special will reveal how Port Royal became one of the most infamous places in the world and why it fell into oblivion. Join an international team of marine scientists as they rediscover and explore this underwater ghost town in an ambitious attempt to create a detailed 3-D CGI model of the city in its heyday.”