Archaeologists say six cannons recovered from a river in Panama that could have belonged to legendary privateer Henry Morgan are being studied and could eventually be displayed.

The group of Panamanian and foreign archaeologists say the cannons were found at the mouth of Panama's Chagres river, the site where Morgan's flagship, the Satisfaction, was wrecked in 1671 while carrying him and his crew to raid Panama City.

The team said that the size and shape of the pieces looks very similar to the small iron guns of the 17th century.

The cannons were found in 2008 and recovered last year.

The archaeological survey was coordinated by the Waitt Institute with collaboration with Panama's National Culture Institute.

• This article was amended on 2 March 2011. The original referred to Henry Morgan and his crew as pirates. This has been corrected.