Nautical Archaeology Research Articles

The Introduction of American Naval Ordnance in the Caribbean Sea in the Late Modern Period: Operational dimensions and American expansion

Since the 1970s, the Caribbean has been a hub for nautical archaeology, often focusing on European naval ordnance as evidence of early modern maritime occupation. The mid-nineteenth century ushered in a new military context with rapid American expansion, introducing contemporary innovations in American naval artillery. This study delves into the significance of American naval ordnance in the late nineteenth-century Caribbean, with a focus on its potential for revealing new imperialism and evolving regional dynamics in the archaeological record. It analyses the late nineteenth-century naval operational context in the Caribbean, concentrating on USS Kearsarge and its guns’ history from 1862–94 and its loss on Roncador Cay. Primary sources provide insight into their evolution associated with the wreck site, with emphasis placed on Dahlgren shell guns as a potential identifying feature.

Cogs, Small Cogs and Boats. The Thirteenth until Sixteenth Century Dutch and Flemish Archaeological Finds from the Hanseatic Shipbuilding Tradition Seen in a Broader Perspective

"Cogs, Small Cogs and Boats. The Thirteenth until Sixteenth Century Dutch and Flemish Archaeological Finds from the Hanseatic Shipbuilding Tradition Seen in a Broader Perspective." International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), pp. 1–2

What Is There to Do If You Find an Old Indian Canoe? Anti-Colonialism in Maritime Archaeology

Following Max Liboiron’s claim that pollution is colonialism, the anti-colonial maritime archaeologist’s role in the Anthropocene might be to reframe research questions, so that focus is directed toward interactions between marine and maritime, and that the colonial ‘resurrectionist’ approach that has dominated nautical archaeology ought to be reconsidered altogether. This normative statement is put to the test with a 4000-year-old waterlogged dugout canoe that was illegally excavated from the Cooper River in South Carolina, USA. Upon retrieval, the affected tribal entities were brought into consultation with archaeologists and conservators to help decide how to proceed with the canoe’s remains. Tribal representatives reached a consensus to preserve the canoe with PEG and display it in a public museum. This procedure follows the resurrectionist model typical of maritime archaeology in the West, now the dominant protocol globally, where the scholar acts as savior by lifting entire wrecks from watery graves and promising to grant them immortality in utopian museum spaces. However, this immortalizing procedure is at odds with some Indigenous values, voiced by tribal representatives, which embrace life cycles and distributed agency. In the end, the desire to preserve the canoe as a perpetual symbol of intertribal unity dominated concerns surrounding the canoe’s own life, spirit, and autonomy, and that plasticizing it would permanently alter its substance and essence. We argue that the object of the canoe has become subservient to its postcolonial symbolism of Indigenous unity, resilience, and resistance. Further, by subscribing to the resurrectionist model of maritime archaeology, the immortalized canoe now bears the irony of colonial metaphor, as an unintended consequence of its preservation. We echo Audre Lorde’s famous sentiment by wondering if an anticolonial maritime archaeology can ever hope to dismantle the master’s boat using the master’s tools. The conclusions reached here have implications for other maritime and museum contexts too, including the highly publicized case of the wrecked 1859–1860 slave ship, Clotilda.

The Need for Academic Integrity in Mass Media: A Perspective from Nautical Archaeology in The Bahamas

The Bahamas has a rich history with nautical archaeology, even if the academic discipline of nautical archaeology is largely unfamiliar to Bahamians. Season 2 of Cooper’s Treasure, a documentary television series released and distributed by Discovery Channel, follows Darrell Miklos and his crew around The Bahamas searching for shipwrecks. Unfortunately, treasure hunting is still a common problem in The Bahamas; piracy is not relegated to the past. Illegal looting and damage constitute a serious threat to the country’s underwater cultural heritage. Accordingly, this study contributes to this discussion by conducting a critical analysis of two television docu-series, Treasure Quest and Cooper’s Treasure and media discussions surrounding nautical archaeology and treasure hunting in The Bahamas. The study finds that media discussions in The Bahamas incorrectly interpret treasure hunting to be part of nautical archaeology. Furthermore, there is a widespread feeling in The Bahamas that treasure hunting is necessary.

Keynote address: The Centre Camille Jullian: 50 years of maritime and nautical archaeology

This article retraces the principal activities of the Centre Camille Jullian – UMR 7299 (CCJ) in Mediterranean nautical archaeology from its beginnings with the pioneering underwater excavations of the Planier III and Madrague de Giens wrecks from the end of the 1960s, to the beginning of the 1980s, through the 1990s and the wrecks of Marseille’s ancient harbour, and up until the most recent developments. This latter period has seen the CCJ gradually extend its activities into father flung Mediterranean regions through international collaborations in Italy, Croatia, Egypt and the Black Sea, and the increasingly advanced integration of multiple interdisciplinary approaches. The theoretical and methodological foundations on which the innumerable projects of its researchers are based have allowed the study of ancient Mediterranean ships to be tackled in innovatory and constantly renewed ways.

The Penglai 3 Shipwreck in Context: Korean Shipbuilding in the Late 14th and Early 15th Centuries

The latest developments in Korean nautical archaeology have provided a clearer picture of what medieval shipbuilding in Korea looked like. However, the Penglai 3 shipwreck, excavated in China and dated to the late 14th or early 15th century, though unequivocally Korean in its basic structure, shows features which have never been seen before or since on other Korean ship-wrecks. The present paper aims to explain the uniqueness of this ship by examining the specific historical context in which it was built, at a time when the Korean court was conducting experiments with various techniques.

Going the Distance: Eurasian Trade and the Rise of the Business Corporation 1400–1700; Family Firms and Merchant Capitalism in Early Modern Europe: The Business, Bankruptcy and Resilience of the Höchstetters of Augsburg

Going the Distance: Eurasian Trade and the Rise of the Business Corporation 1400–1700; Family Firms and Merchant Capitalism in Early Modern Europe: The Business, Bankruptcy and Resilience of the Höchstetters of Augsburg

Seeking a common ground for the Nautical Archaeology Digital Library (NADL). Reflections on science, method, theory and templates

<p class="VARKeywords">Data sharing is a fundamental process for the advancement of both natural and social sciences. Starting from the idea that computers and the internet have drastically changed the world in the last decades, this paper advocates for the creation of a space where archaeologists from around the world can share information about maritime history and exchange data with colleagues. Following the principles of open access, we argue that raw data publication is necessary and significant for the development and democratization of the discipline. This study explains the fundamental aspects of the Nautical Archaeology Digital Library (NADL) and its efforts to standardize information collection for shipwrecks and related sites, so that scholars can create a community to disseminate both raw data and complete information in the field of maritime archaeology. To achieve this, our purpose is to facilitate the development of common-ground methodology and terminology that promotes an intelligible dialogue within the global community of nautical archaeologists. This paper addresses some considerations on terminology and systematization in scientific disciplines and discusses the theoretical and methodological issues linked to the process of making a template for recording shipwrecks. Furthermore, this article analyses some of the problems related to the standardization of description processes and the necessity to create a flexible system that accounts for data diversity. The third section discusses how science is greatly enhanced by publishing information in open access platforms.</p><p>Highlights:</p><p>• Standardization of data allows robust comparative and inter-subjective analysis of coastal and maritime projects, shipwrecks and nautical technology.<br />• Research is strongly benefited by sharing information underlying publications and raw data generated within a project in open source platforms.<br />• Digital databases such as NADL enhance cooperative research, as well as teaching and outreach strategies.</p>

Stories from the Wreckage: A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks

"Stories from the Wreckage: A Great Lakes Maritime History Inspired by Shipwrecks." International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 50(1), pp. 233–234

The Alliance of Pirates: Ireland and Atlantic Piracy in the Early Seventeenth Century

"The Alliance of Pirates: Ireland and Atlantic Piracy in the Early Seventeenth Century." International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 50(1), pp. 237–238

Toward a history of nautical archaeology: Boats and history by Éric Rieth

Toward a history of nautical archaeology: Boats and history by Éric Rieth

The Kyrenia II, the trireme Olympias, the papyrella : three different endeavours in nautical experimental archaeology

This article is a brief description of why, how and to what extent the author was involved in three different Greek projects of experimental nautical archaeology in the 1980s : the Kyrenia II, an ancient Greek coaster, the trireme Olympias, an ancient Athenian warship, and the papyrella, a prehistoric papyrus raft.

The Origins of the Lost Fleet of the Mongol Empire by Randall J. Sasaki Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series. College Station: Texas A&M Press, 2015. 201 pp.

The Origins of the Lost Fleet of the Mongol Empire by Randall J. Sasaki Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series. College Station: Texas A&M Press, 2015. 201 pp.

Application of the State-Of-The Art Engineering Methods in Nautical Archaeology

Modern interdisciplinary projects are connecting researchers from seemingly unrelated fields, like naval engineering and archaeology. However, archaeological remnants of the present days, such as ancient ships and ceramic transport containers, were created by engineers and artisans of the past. It is therefore meaningful to consider their function and construction from an engineering point of view, complementing the archaeological research. One track of the interdisciplinary project Archaeology of Adriatic Shipbuilding and Seafaring (AdriaS), founded by the Croatian Science Foundation, aims at better understanding of structural behaviour of the ancient seaborne structures, made of wood and ceramics. In addition, a reverse engineering method is considered in the analysis of underwater archaeological sites, by the simulation of capsizing of ancient ship. This paper presents the possibilities and limitation of the application of the state-of-the-art engineering methods in nautical archaeology. It focuses on the analysis of wooden and ceramics structures, particularly through the identification of open questions, and exploitation of proper material models. Moreover, it presents the complex fluid-structure interaction analysis of a ship capsizing event as a possible engineering tool for testing hypothesis.

Book Review: Caligula’s Barges and the Renaissance Origins of Nautical Archaeology Under Water

Book Review: Caligula’s Barges and the Renaissance Origins of Nautical Archaeology Under Water

Osnovna terminologija za potrebe arheologije broda

Arheologija broda znanstvena je disciplina koja putem materijalnih ostataka, te pisanih, ikonografskih i etnografskih izvora proučava sve tipove brodova prošlih vremena. Zdenko Brusić, pionir podvodne arheologije u Hrvatskoj, započeo je intenzivan rad u podmorju šezdesetih godina prošloga stoljeća, u više navrata istražujući ostatke starih brodova. Sukladno suvremenoj metodologiji, u novije vrijeme pokazalo se kako je standardiziranje terminologije koja se koristi prilikom istraživanja prošlosti drvene brodogradnji neophodno za sustavno iznošenje rezultata istraživačkog rada, te poticanje znanstvene rasprave. U vrijeme dok je na Fakultetu strojarstva i brodogradnje Sveučilišta u Zagrebu još postojao predmet Drvena brodogradnja, Teodor Bernardi napisao je udžbenik Konstrukcija drvenih brodova, koji je u ovome radu, u nešto izmijenjenom obliku, poslužio kao osnova za pripremanje osnovnog pojmovnika. Taj pokušaj rezultat je sve intenzivnijih istraživanja ostataka drvenih brodova u hrvatskom podmorju, koja nužno dovode do potrebe izvještavanja i objave rezultata na hrvatskom jeziku.

The Norman's Bay Shipwreck, East Sussex, UK: a possible 17th‐century Dutch ship from the Battle of Beachy Head

This report explores a hypothesis that the Norman's Bay shipwreck is the Wapen van Utrecht, a 64-gun Dutch ship lost during the Battle of Beachy Head in 1690. The shipwreck, found off the Sussex coast, was designated by the Protection of Wrecks Act (1973) in 2006, when it was speculated that the wreck was the English 70-gun ship Resolution, lost in the Great Storm of 1703. Dendrochronology dates the vessel after the middle of the 17th century AD, however, with timbers from Germany or the Low Countries. Initiatives by the Nautical Archaeology Society to bring the protected wreck to a wide public are also discussed. 英国东萨塞克斯郡诺曼湾沉船:一艘可能参与比奇角海战的17世纪荷舰 本文着重探讨诺曼湾沉船即为乌德勒支武器号 (Wapen van Utrecht) 的这一假说。乌德勒支武器号是一艘拥有64门火炮的荷兰战舰, 1690年在比奇角海战中沉没。该沉船发现于萨塞克斯海岸。2006年, 由于此船被认为是在1703年大风暴中覆没的带有70门火炮的英船决心号 (Resolution) 而被纳入《沉船保护法案 (1973) 》。树木年轮测量将此船年代定为公元17世纪后半叶, 而且其船材来自于德国或其他低地国家。本文还会就海洋考古学会提出的将受保护的沉船介绍给更广泛的大众的倡议加以讨论。 本文著重探討諾曼灣沈船即爲烏德勒支武器號 (Wapen van Utrecht) 的這一假說。烏德勒支武器號是一艘擁有64門火炮的荷蘭戰艦, 1690年在比奇角海戰中沉沒。該沉船發現于薩塞克斯海岸。2006年, 由于此船被認爲是在1703年大風暴中覆沒的帶有70門火炮的英船決心號 (Resolution) 而被納入《沉船保護法案 (1973) 》。樹木年輪測量將此船年代定爲公元17世紀後半葉, 而且其船材來自于德國或其他低地國家。本文還會就海洋考古學會提出的將受保護的沉船介紹給更廣泛的大衆的倡議加以討論。 El Pecio de la Bahía de Norman, Sussex Oriental, Reino Unido: un posible barco holandés del siglo XVII de la Batalla de Beachy Head Este reporte explora la hipótesis de que el pecio de la Bahía de Norman es el Wapen van Utrecht, un buque holandés de 64 cañones perdido durante la Batalla de Beachy Head en 1690. El pecio, hallado en la costa de Sussex, fue designado por el ‘Protection of Wrecks Act (1973)’ en 2006, cuándo se especulaba que era el Resolution, buque inglés de 70 cañones que se perdió en la Gran Tormenta de 1703. Los estudios dendrocronológicos datan el pecio después de mediados del siglo XVII d.C., no obstante, sus maderas proceden de Alemania y los Países Bajos. También se discute la iniciativa de la Nautical Archaeology Society de llevar el pecio protegido a un público amplio. Traducción: Ricardo Borrero

Using Sector-Scan Sonar for the Survey and Management of Submerged Archaeological Sites

© 2017 The Authors. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology © 2017 The Nautical Archaeology Society. This article reports the results of using a sector-scan sonar to record diverse submerged archaeological sites in shallow and deep water. The Kongsberg MS1000 sector-scan sonar was developed for commercial applications, typically underwater inspections of bridges, dams, ports and harbours. The ability of the device to rapidly generate high-quality, geometrically accurate scans of submerged features, coupled with its ease of use and deployment make it a potentially important, yet largely overlooked, tool for survey and management of underwater archaeological sites. As one of several technologies available, the paper examines its advantages and limitations, and considers, through case studies, under which conditions it is most effectively deployed.

The Underwater Recovery of Monumental Marble Column Drums from an Ancient Shipwreck at Kızılburun, Turkey

In the first century B.C., a stone carrier sank off the Aegean coast of Turkey at Kizilburun transporting all the elements of a monumental marble column, including a single Doric capital and eight drums. The 60-tonne cargo lay at a depth of 45–48 m and was excavated in its entirety by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University between 2005 and 2011. Ongoing research has shown that the Doric column pieces in the Kizilburun cargo originated in the marble quarries on Proconnesus Island in the Sea of Marmara and were very likely heading for the Temple of Apollo at Claros when the ship sank just 50 km short of its destination. The complete recovery of the ship’s cargo posed a unique set of methodological challenges involving lifting the multi-tonne marble drums without disturbing the delicate waterlogged wooden hull remains preserved beneath. This report summarizes the solutions developed over five seasons in order to rig, hoist, move, and ultimately raise to the surface eight large ancient marble column drums (as well as all the other marble artifacts in the cargo) from a depth of almost 50 m under water.

Archaeology of a 17th-century Naval Battle: the first two seasons of the Rockley Bay Research Project in Tobago

On 3 March 1677, French Vice-Admiral Jean d'Estrees launched an assault on an inferior Dutch squadron, commanded by Jacob Binckes, anchored in Rockley Bay, Tobago. The French attack was defeated, but a total of 12 warships on both sides were sunk. The Rockley Bay Research Project, supported by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and the University of Connecticut began an archaeological investigation of the battle in 2012. At least one of the Dutch men-of-war lost in the battle has been found, TRB-5. The article is a preliminary report on the work that has been carried out so far.