Page 307 - Green - Maritime Archaeology: A Technical Handbook. 2nd ed

286 Maritime Archaeology: A Technical Handbook, Second Edition
and other items of interest can be traced onto the sheeting (Figure 10.7). The tracing has to be done as faithfully as possible and the sheets must be kept steady. There can be difficulty in aligning features that lie some dis- tance below the plane of the tracing, because the traced position will depend on the orientation of the recorder’s eye. It is therefore important that the recorder’s eye be oriented vertically above the point to be traced in relation to the plane of the tracing. This can be done with a variety of aids and devices like a mirror or a simple sighting device.
A black, felt-tipped pen with an alcohol-based ink is ideal for tracing as it is extremely durable and dries very quickly. There is not much point in using colors, since most tracings will be photographically reduced later, and some colors may not reproduce because of the spectral sensitivity of the film. The registration number of the object, the date of tracing, and identi- fication of the side being traced, together with any other relevant informa- tion should be clearly recorded on the tracing. From an organizational point of view, it is worth drawing the various faces on the same sheet so that they are kept together. Also, it should be noted how the three dimensions of the jigsaw fit together, as in some cases it is possible to confuse the position of the faces being drawn. With curved objects such as frames, the curvature can be recorded in the side view, but there are two possible ways to trace the curved surface. One way is to place the tracing sheet directly on the curved surface and trace. The other method is to place the tracing material
Figure 10.7 Tracing Batavia timbers after recovery from the wreck site. Polythene sheeting was laid over the timber and the outline and nail and bolt holes traced onto the surface. (Cour- tesy of Lloyd Capps.)