Although the wreck site of the Espadarte, discovered in May 2001, had been looted in the 1990s by treasure hunters and sport divers, the excavations show that the nau was carrying a full load of cargo, consisting of: gold; spices (pepper, nutmeg, and mace); Martaban storage jars filled with carnelian, seeds, and cowrie shells; and porcelain of the late Ming dynasty.