Researchers Ineke Joosten and Janneke van der Stok are examining golden knots recovered from the Palmhout wreck at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands’ heritage laboratory in Amsterdam. The knots, which emerged from the wreck in 2024, are made of almost 21-karat gold and decorated with different colors. Their red filling may contain dragon’s blood, a resin from the dragon blood tree, and the investigation could provide clues about the knots’ origin and the person who once wore them.

After months of conservation, one of the knots was examined for the first time with a scanning electron microscope. The microscope makes the material’s microstructure visible; the investigation is ongoing.