Experts discover what could be a Christopher Columbus anchor

Experts believe a centuries-old anchor discovered in the Caribbean is from one of Christopher Columbus' ships.

Analysis shows that the anchor, found off of the Turks and Caicos islands, dates to between 1492 and 1550. Its estimated weight is between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds, which indicates it was a "bower anchor" from a 300-ton vessel, which is the typical size of a ship from Columbus' time.

Historical shipwreck discovery specialist Darrell Miklos used a space map created by his late friend NASA Astronaut Gordon Cooper, to find a series of Caribbean shipwreck sites. Cooper, who died from Parkinson’s disease in 2004, created the map following his Mercury 9 Faith 7 flight.

Miklos and his crew were able to identify five "colonial period" wreck sites utilizing Cooper's map alongside archival research. A magnetometer was used to identify the shipwreck areas, and dived down to the site for a closer inspection using a metal detector.

This discovery is believed to be linked to a Spanish sailor named Vicente Yanez Pinzon, who was a part of the Columbus expeditions, along with his brother Martin Alonso Pinzon.

Vicente and Martin were captains of the Pinta and Nina on Columbus's first voyage in 1492.

Along with the anchor, artifacts were found at the shipwreck site, including three grappling hooks that date back to the Columbus era. Grappling hooks were used to salvage treasure from sunken ships. Broken pieces of pottery were also discovered, alongside an olive jar painted with indigo paint, which indicates a Spanish origin.