Bringing up pieces of history is costly and so far, a mediaeval cannon is the biggest catch from Gotland’s maritime archeology.

“That’s the oldest type of cannon in Europe, probably the longest in the world. It's 5 meters from end to end,” said Goran Ankarlilja, head of archaeological project  “AquaArkeologen”.

The project has been given funding by the Russian-German Nord Stream gas pipeline project.

“We tried to find sponsors in Sweden but we couldn’t,” Ankarlilja said. “Then we got in contact with the Nord Stream that’s doing a big research at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. And they became our sponsor.”

The local museum at the Swedish Gotland Island is rubbing its hands, as the project is bringing more gems up from the bottom of the Baltic. Dozens of volunteers have joined the search for the long lost riches.

Hundreds of years ago, there was a major trading route between Russia and Europe in the Gotland waters of Sweden. Kingdoms clashed to be in charge of what was the freeway of the Middle Ages. Over 2,700 ships are thought to have gone down in these waters and nobody knows how much gold and other precious artifacts are lying on the seabed.

Meanwhile, the archaeologists are sure they'll be sifting the sand for many years to come.