Browsing by Subject "Nautical Archaeology"
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Item A shipping crate from the 1865 California shipwreck Brother Jonathan: hardware from the Russell and Erwin Manufacturing Company(Texas A&M University, 2006-08-16) Sowden, Carrie ElizabethIn the summer of 2000, divers recovered a large shipping crate from the wreck of the Brother Jonathan, a steamboat that sank off of Crescent City, California on 30 July 1865. Ownership of the crate was taken over by the state of California and was sent to Texas A&M??s Conservation Research Laboratory for excavation and conservation. As soon as work began, it became clear that the crate contained a shipment of a variety of hardware most likely destined for a general store as each of the artifacts discovered was found in high quantities. Also, there was a wide variety of artifacts discovered, tools, architectural pieces, food preparation, fur trapping, and personal items. The crate was shipped from San Francisco from the warehouse of the Russell and Erwin Manufacturing Company; however, its final destination is unknown. Records for this warehouse and for the boat were destroyed in the earthquake and fire of 1906, so the destination for these goods is purely speculative. Using information from the excavation of the crate and a historical analysis of the contents led to a plausible theory. After careful review, it seems most likely that the crate was intended for a general store in a small town with a rural customer base.Item Archaeological evidence for ship eyes: an analysis of their form and function(Texas A&M University, 2007-09-17) Nowak, Troy JosephDuring the late 19th century, a number of large marble eyes were discovered near the Athenian naval facilities at Zea. Although initially published as the eyes of ancient Greek warships, many scholars have doubted the validity of this attribution. A range of hypotheses have been presented in attempts both to discredit the notion that they are ship eyes, and to re-classify these objects. Recent excavations of a Classical Period merchantman at Tekta???? Burnu uncovered a pair of marble discs that again raise questions relating to the identity of the marble eyes from Zea. A review of alternative hypotheses relating to the identity of these objects based on textual, archaeological, and representational evidence, coupled with technical analyses of their construction, form, and decoration, leads to the conclusion that the marble eyes discovered at Zea, as well as the objects from Tekta???? Burnu, adorned the bows of ancient Greek ships between the 5th and the 3rd centuries BC. Evidence for the function of these objects is found in the works of Greek authors who show that the eyes of ancient ships marked the presence of a supernatural consciousness that guided the ship and helped to avoid hazards. Studies of eye representations on Archaic and Classical Greek domestic articles and parallels in architectural decoration suggest that ship eyes may have also worked as apotropaions to counter forces such as envy. As early as the 5th century BC Greek and Latin authors attest to a fear and understanding of envy's destructive power, which was believed to attack through the actions of both gods and mortals. Theories related to the use of eyes as apotropaions that could counter envy are presented based on analysis of material from the Archaic and Classical Periods. Links are made between Hellenistic and Roman mariners and their fear of this force, which was expressed in their use of devices that functioned to protect them from its ill effects. It is possible that ship eyes in ancient Greece served as both epiphanies and apotropaions used to counter envy.Item Exploration and Empire: Iconographic Evidence of Iberian Ships of Discovery(2011-08-08) Bojakowski, KatieThis dissertation research project focuses on maritime exploration during the Age of Discovery and the vessels that were the technological impetus for this dynamic era that ultimately led Christopher Columbus to the New World and Vasco da Gama to India. Little is known about the caravel and the nau, two ships which defined this era of global expansion; archival documents provide scant information regarding these vessels and to date there are only a few known archaeological examples. The caravel and the nau became lasting symbols of the bourgeoning Portuguese and Spanish maritime empires and are featured prominently in contemporaneous iconography. This dissertation bridges the gap between the humanities and sciences through the statistical analysis of the caravel, galleon, and nau in the iconographic record. As one of the first intensive uses of iconography in nautical archaeology, the study analyzed over 500 images using descriptive statistics and representational trends analysis in order to explore the two research questions posed, Are the ships represented in the iconography accurate? and Can iconography provide information on constructional characteristics of these vessels that will determine typology, evolution, and design changes? Gauging the accuracy of the ship representations was fundamental to establishing this study?s validity. The artists creating these images were not shipwrights or mariners and thus this research was not limited to the technological and constructional aspects alone. The dissertation addressed technology as a cultural symbol in order to understand how and why cultures attach such powerful and important symbolism to technology and adopt it as an identifying feature. On a broader level, this dissertation proved that iconography is a viable data source within nautical archaeology. The representational trends and general construction proportions analyzed in the iconographic record did provide an ample amount of information about the different ship types to greatly assist in the reconstruction of a caravel, galleon, or nau. The vast quantities of new data generated using these methodologies have the potential to significantly advance the study of these three ship types when paired with current and future archaeological evidence.Item Finding a Middle Ground in the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage(2013-12-10) Gongaware, Laura LynnThe 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage bans the commercial exploitation of underwater cultural heritage. Despite this ban, ?commercial exploitation? is not formally defined in the Convention and the only legally binding guidance on what constitutes commercial exploitation is the two exceptions to commercial exploitation in rule 2 of the Annex Rules to the Convention. As a result, the determination of whether underwater cultural heritage has been commercially exploited must be made on a case-by-case basis. The inquiry is of particular importance because the Convention also indirectly bans exhibitions of commercially exploited underwater cultural heritage. The salvage of the Belitung shipwreck and the ensuing controversy over the exhibition of the Belitung artifact collection provides an instructive analysis of the Convention?s ban on commercial exploitation. Seabed Explorations, a commercial salvage company, contracted with the government of Indonesia to salvage the Belitung wreck, a ninth-century Arabian vessel that provides unprecedented information about the maritime component of the land-based Silk Road. Although analysis of the salvage operation establishes that the Belitung wreck was commercially exploited, there is much about the Belitung wreck that suggests that an outright ban on its exhibition and study would violate the spirit of the Convention. The salvage of RMS TITANIC provides another interesting case study, particularly as it applies to article 4?s limitation on the application of the law of salvage and law of finds. Both the law of salvage and the law of finds are inherently commercial in nature, and as such, many believe that the law of salvage and law of finds should not be applied to underwater cultural heritage. The salvage of TITANIC establishes that salvage does not result in per se commercial exploitation and that courts can apply the law of salvage in a way that ensures protection. Although the ban on commercial exploitation is an important part of the 2001 UNESCO Convention, the Belitung wreck and TITANIC prove that a ban on commercially exploited underwater cultural heritage, or heritage believed-to-be commercially exploited, violates the spirit of the Convention, because such a ban does not take into account what is best for the resource itself. A middle ground must be reached through a less conservative reading of the Convention.Item Health and Disease on the Dutch High Seas: An Analysis of Medical Supplies from Batavia, Vergulde Draak and Zeewijk(2014-04-17) Eginton, CoralDuring the 17th and 18th centuries the Dutch East India Company or Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (henceforth the VOC or the Company) maintained its presence as a power of trade in Asia by establishing footholds and even monopolizing spice markets through its active and successful network of maritime transportation. Unlike its predecessors in the Indies, the VOC was not interested in colonization so much as pure economic gain. It was understood from the inception of the Company in 1602 that making a profit was dependent upon the safe arrival and return of cargo laden ships, the chances of which could be greatly increased by the presence of ship surgeons who worked to keep the crew healthy enough to function. Thus it became Company policy to employ ship surgeons on every outbound and homeward vessel and by the end of its two hundred year presence in Asia close to ten thousand surgeons had served aboard ships heading to the Indies. During the 1970s the Maritime Archaeology Department of the Western Australia Museum conducted full-scale excavations of three VOC ships off the coast of Western Australia. The artifact collections of Batavia (1629), Vergulde Draak (1656) and Zeewijk (1727) yielded archaeological evidence for the presence of surgeons practicing aboard these ships. Ship surgeons were a unique class of medical practitioner whose profession was significantly different at sea than it was on land. These men acted as barber, surgeon, and apothecary to crews commonly exceeding two hundred individuals. They faced diseases that had never before been encountered and commonly found themselves treating the casualties of maritime war in addition to treating the daily dietary imbalances and ailments of a standard early modern life. This thesis will explore the education, career, and status of ship surgeons employed in the VOC and provide an in-depth analysis of the artifacts recovered from Batavia, Vergulde Draak and Zeewijk that are associated with the surgeon?s daily practices. As the ships in question date to the rise and height of Company power in Asia, they provide an excellent snapshot of the surgeon?s profession at the busiest and most dangerous periods in VOC shipping.Item La Belle: Rigging in the days of the spritsail topmast, a reconstruction of a seventeenth-century ship's rig(2009-05-15) Corder, Catharine Leigh InbodyLa Belle?s rigging assemblage has provided a rare and valuable source of knowledge of 17th-century rigging in general and in particular, French and small-ship rigging characteristics. With over 400 individual items including nearly 160 wood and iron artifacts, this assemblage stands out as one of the most substantial and varied among all available rigging assemblages and currently is the only assemblage of 17th-century French rigging published. Furthermore, French rigging in general has not been as well defined as English rigging, nor has the 17th century been as well researched as the 18th. As such, La Belle?s rigging assemblage has provided a valuable source of knowledge whose research will hopefully provide a valuable foundation on which future studies can be built. Specifically, this project has attempted to catalogue these artifacts and reconstruct a plausible 17th-century French rig. This project has further attempted to define the differences between the better known English rigging features and those more characteristic of the French and Dutch. The reconstruction is based on the specific details derived from La Belle?s artifacts as well as contemporary French and other continental sources such as rigging assemblages, ship models, treatises, and nautical dictionaries. Together, these have suggested that La Belle probably carried a relatively simple rig with decidedly seventeenth-century characteristics and a Dutch influence.Item Santo Antonio de Tanna? story and reconstruction(2009-05-15) Fraga, Tiago MiguelBuy a puzzle, assemble it, and destroy its original box. Take the puzzle, go to a lake, throw the puzzle in the lake, and leave it for a few weeks. Return to the lake and try to rebuild the puzzle from the remaining pieces. Such is the challenge of the research goals presented on this abstract ? the reconstruction of a Portuguese frigate, Santo Antonio de Tann?, from its submerged remains. This thesis focuses on the mechanisms of reconstructing the ship, including the thought process, new computer tools, and imagination required for an archaeologist to be a detective of lost eras. The main objective was to understand the construction of a late Seventeenth-century Portuguese frigate. Frigates were responsible for patrolling the seas, intercepting fastmoving vessels, re-supplying military trading stations, and protecting trade routes. The existence of Portuguese frigates was known from historical records, but Santo Antonio de Tann? is the only frigate identified in the archaeological record. As such, its reconstruction should enable scholars to better understand the actual capabilities of seventeenth century frigates.A particular challenge in this study was ascertaining the manner in which Santo Antonio de Tann??s construction reflected the state of affairs of the Portuguese trade network. Although their construction methods were advanced, the Portuguese adopted a shipbuilding design that was not able to compete as well in the new conditions of a changing global context. This study clearly demonstrate that cargo capacity was given greater emphasis than either speed or maneuverability, illustrating the on-going necessity of the Portuguese to build military ships with cargo capacity sufficient for minimal trade, even at the expense of speed. These were just the first steps in terms of what could be learned from the reconstruction. The best method to understand the ship, a three-dimensional object, was to recreate it into a three-dimensional environment in order to create a more accurate model. The resulting model permitted research to extend beyond the limits of the individual line drawings through the added benefit of being able to calculate hydrodynamics, sailing characteristics, and other data based on the ship?s morphology.Item The A.J. Goddard: Reconstruction and Material Culture of a Klondike Gold Rush Sternwheeler(2012-10-19) Thomas, Lindsey HallThe A.J. Goddard, a steamboat built for the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1898, wrecked in 1901 on Lake Laberge, Yukon Territory, where it lay undisturbed until its rediscovery in 2008 by the Yukon River Survey Project, directed by John Pollack. The complete and undisturbed nature of the wreck site, which is the only known site from this period to show such remarkable preservation, provides an unparalleled opportunity for studying the construction features of one of the Klondike steamboats and its associated material culture. The wreck of the A.J. Goddard is the only known surviving example of a small, prefabricated sternwheeler from the Yukon River's sternwheeler days. Due to the nature of its construction and building material, the A.J. Goddard represents a period of vast change in shipbuilding techniques, and is part of the fascinating juxtaposition between traditional wooden boats and a new, prefabricated industrial solution to boatbuilding. Work thus far has revealed that the A.J. Goddard possessed a simple design and construction, likely not one developed specifically for the Yukon River. It appears that the need to carry it over a mountain influenced its design more than the qualities of the Yukon River. Modifications were made over the course of its short career to make it more suitable, but its tragic end indicates that it was not a good choice for open-water navigation, though it admirably and successfully fulfilled its mission of serving throughout the gold rush. Though it was not ideally suited for the river and lakes environment where it was built, the quickness and ingenuity with which the vessel was constructed made it one of the few vessels, out of the thousands that set out for the Yukon in the summer of 1898, to actually make it to Dawson in time for the gold rush without being delayed by ice in the north, as so many were. Field seasons were conducted in 2009 and 2010 that focused on recording the boat's construction features and artifacts. Select artifacts were recovered for study and display in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory with the intention of creating an exhibit for the Yukon public.Item The Borobudur Vessels in Context(2014-07-28) Inglis, Douglas AndrewEleven boats are depicted in the bas-reliefs that cover the walls of Borobudur, a ninth century C.E. Buddhist monument located in central Java. These vessels are an important source of information about the complexities of classical Indonesian shipbuilding, and contain data about rigging elements, rope use, fastening, rowing configurations, and outrigger construction. They represent critical evidence of physical structures that have not survived in the archaeological record. Scholars such as Hornell, Mookerji, Needham, Horridge, Manguin, Ray, and others have used the reliefs to improve our understanding of maritime trade, seafaring, and ship construction in ancient Southeast Asia. While the technical merits of the Borobudur Ships have been thoroughly discussed, a great deal of cultural data has been overlooked. The objective of this thesis is to place the Borobudur Vessels in their proper religious, artistic, and narrative context. It addresses three central questions: 1.) What can the Buddhist narratives tell us about the seafaring scenes depicted at Borobudur? 2.) How did the artistic framework influence the representation of the vessels in the reliefs? 3.) What do Borobudur?s reliefs tell us about contemporaneous seafaring in the region? This study will demonstrate that the narrative and religious context of the Borobudur Vessels directly influenced how the panels were designed, how the ships were portrayed, and how we should interpret them. The Buddhist narratives associated with the vessels provide deeper context for everything we see happening on board. The stories reveal the stakes involved in seafaring, explain what was expected of a mariner, and illustrate the skills and mindset needed to survive on an ocean-going vessel. The reliefs themselves provide a window on how seafaring stories were envisioned in ninth century C.E. Java. The 94 mariners depicted aboard the ships portray emotions, such as fear, courage, torpor, and astonishment, as well as abstract concepts such a teamwork, self-sacrifice, and leadership. This thesis will show that the Borobudur Vessels represent a concentrated effort to capture the struggles, heroism, and drama of sailing. They are material evidence of the intimate connection between Buddhism and seafaring, and provide unique insights into the Javanese perception of sailing, the ocean, and its dangers.Item The Juniper Coast: A Survey of the Medieval Shipwrecks of Novy Svet, Ukraine(2014-06-19) Albertson, John ArthurThis thesis provides an accurate, comprehensive physical context for the extent underwater archaeological excavations in the Bay of Novy Svet, located on the southeast coast of the Crimean Peninsula. In addition, it presents vital new historical context and explores new archaeological assemblages discovered while mapping the 100 x 250m^(2) research site. These include minimal hull remains, concretions, ceramics and an assemblage of anchors and ships equipment dating from antiquity to the modern day. Certain of these may indicate an 11th century wreck site, while others provide probable evidence for seafaring on the bay as early as the foundation of Sudak in 212 A.D. or before. These findings reinforce the work they are built on, and provide improved digital tools for future research. Results are assessed alongside historic and archaeological documentation of medieval and modern activity in the region, including invasive and destructive actions around the Bay of Novy Svet. In addition, the historical record has suggested that a 13th century wreck in the bay may be a Pisan ship burned there by the Genoese after a battle in 1277. While no proof of correlation has been found to date, extent datasets do not preclude the possibility, and support it to some extent. Therefore, this thesis also presents a framework for describing and discussing the 13th century Pisa Ship and its potential actions within historical and maritime landscape contexts. Current research and conservation efforts are presented, hopefully serving as a platform for increasing those efforts locally and internationally in the future.Item The Mica shipwreck: deepwater nautical archaeology in the Gulf of Mexico(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Jones, Toby NephiThe purpose of this study was to describe the investigation of the Mica shipwreck. The objectives of the investigation, as identified by nautical archaeologists from the United States Minerals Management Service and the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University, include determining the extent and limits of the wreck site, acquisition of diagnostic artifacts to identify the temporal period of the shipwreck and its mission at the time of loss, to identify the type of ship and its country of origin, and quantify the relationship between the vessel's construction and function. The manuscript contains a thorough analysis of the equipment and approach used by archaeologists during the excavation. The manuscript also briefly explores the use of metallic ship sheathing during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, focusing specifically on the pure copper sheathing found on the Mica wreck. Sheathing from numerous contemporary vessels will be analyzed and compared to the Mica shipwreck sheathing.Item The origin of the lost fleet of the mongol empire(2009-05-15) Sasaki, Randall JamesIn 1281 C.E., under the rule of Kublai Khan, the Mongols sent a fleet of more than 4000 vessels to subjugate the island nation of Japan. A powerful typhoon, called kamikaze, dashed the invading fleet into pieces on the shores of Japan and thus saved the nation from foreign rule. Historical sources suggest there were three principal vessel types involved in this event: V-shaped cargo ships for transporting provisions to the front, constructed in China?s Fukien Province; miscellaneous flat and round bottomed vessels made along the Yangtze River; and flat bottomed landing craft from Korea. In the recent past, the remains of the fleet were discovered at the Takashima underwater site in western Japan, unveiling numerous artifacts including weaponry, shipboard items, and sections of hull; however, between 1281 and the late twentieth century the site has seen major disturbances, and the artifacts are often in poor condition. Because the site contains the remains of ships built in China and Korea, the interpretation of the artifacts is also extremely complex. In order to determine the origin of the vessels, a logical framework is necessary. The author has created a timber category database, analyzed methods of joinery, and studied contemporary approaches to shipbuilding to ascertain the origins and types of vessels that composed the Mongol fleet. Although no conclusive statements can be made regarding the origins of the vessels, it appears that historical documents and archaeological evidence correspond well to each other, and that many of the remains analyzed were from smaller vessels built along the Yangtze River Valley. Large, V-shaped cargo ships and the Korean vessels probably represent a small portion of the timbers raised at the Takashima site. As the first research project of its kind in the region, this study is a starting point for understanding the real story of the Mongol invasion of Japan, as well as the history of shipbuilding in East Asia.Item The Phoenician Trade Network: Tracing a Mediterranean Exchange System(2012-11-15) Puckett, Neil 1983-The Phoenicians were known as artisans, merchants, and seafarers by the 10th century B.C.E. They exchanged raw and finished goods with people in many cultural spheres of the ancient world and accumulated wealth in the process. A major factor that aided their success was the establishment of colonies along the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic coasts. These colonies, established by the eighth century B.C.E., supplied valuable raw materials to the major Phoenician cities in the Levant, while also providing additional markets abroad. Excavations at a myriad of these colonial sites have recovered materials that can be used to identify connections between the colonies, the Levantine cities, and non-Phoenician cultures across the ancient world. By establishing these connections the system of maritime exchange can be better understood and modeled as the Phoenician Trade Network. This network involved both direct and indirect exchange of raw and finished products, people, as well as political and cultural ideas. The colonies were involved in various activities including ceramics production, metallurgy, trade, and agriculture. Native peoples they interacted with provided valuable goods, especially metals, which were sent east to supply the Near Eastern Markets. The Phoenician Trade Network was a system of interconnected, moderately independent population centers which all participated in the advancement of Phoenician mercantilism and wealth. Ultimately, the network collapsed in the sixth century B.C.E. allowing other powers such as the Romans, Carthaginians, and Greeks to replace them as the dominant merchants of the Mediterranean.