CARDIFF, WALES—The internal structure of a brass combination lock recovered from a shipwreck off the coast of Wales has been examined with micro-CT scanning technology by researchers from Amgueddfa Cymru (Museum Wales) and Cardiff University, according to a statement released by Cardiff University. The shipwreck has been identified as the Ann Frances, an English merchant ship that sank in a storm in 1583. “By creating a detailed 3D image of the internal mechanism, I could see how the notches lined up with the letters and identify the exact combination,” said David Williams of Cardiff University. He determined that the four-letter code is ANCE. “I had to wait until later that evening for the museum team to test the combination, so getting the message that we’d cracked it was incredibly satisfying,” he added. The lock was found near a collection of Spanish silver coins, and is thought to have secured a small chest that may have held the coins or other valuable objects that have not survived. To read about a shipwreck laden with luxurious stones, go to “Medieval England’s Coveted Cargo.”
