Page 38 - TVH 2000 Anniversary Shipwreck Project

area is difficult to work due to the presence of ingots and concretions inboard and was not easily accessible and therefore not studied. The measured width of wooden elements at this point is 685mm. Control point 1 was located on the top of the sternpost while control point 2 was placed at the junction between the structure around the sternpost (the transom) and what is interpreted as the port side (Gawronski and Kist 82, Van der Horst, 88). Excavation followed the outer sheathing to the junction with the port side. The sheathing was observed at the top but not followed downward due to lack of time. This area had been well worked in the past. What we were concerned with was obtaining the distance between the sternpost and the junction with the port side, this was measured as 4.3m. There is no evidence for damage or tearing of timbers at this junction, the corner by CP2 appeared sound. This suggests that the least we can expect is an intact portion of the stern from the sternpost to the port side, albeit with the rudder missing. The angle of heel of the sternpost from the vertical to the port side was 33°. Stratigraphy Introduction It was anticipated that previous excavations would have disturbed the stratigraphy outside the stern. As the most prominent feature on the seabed, we also expected it to be a catchment area for modern debris, especially fishing equipment. This was found to be the case, with nets, chain and rope tangled around the sternpost. These increased towards the starboard side and covered an area extending 3 metres away from the structure to the northwest. The stratigraphy outside the structure at the stern is shown in Figure 10. The first 550mm consisted of recently deposited soft silt with lots of razor shells. This gave way to clay with shells and then clay with an increasing number of concretions. This layer contained modern contaminants including toothpaste tube, plastics, and debris from previous excavations together with usually incomplete wreck derived material, especially broken bricks and glass and the enigmatic lead rolls. These recently deposited silts were easily removed. These are sediments which have infilled the site since previous excavations, basically backfill and modern mobile sediments. Also contained within these sediments were broken structural elements, outer sheathing (A0011) and a number of unidentified planks (A0009, A0010, A0012, A0027) and broken pipe bowls and stems and musket shot. Several barrel portions including staves and part of a base were also recovered, but not all from the same container (A0014, A0015, A0016 and A0020). At 1.50m below seabed level a wooden pole (circumference 500-600mm, length 4670mm) lay across the entire trench, originating nearly at the junction with the port side (CP2). Two scaffold poles were encountered at the same level that consisted of slightly more consolidated light grey clay. This was securely embedded into a sandy deposit towards the northwest. This appeared to be spar like. A second similar but smaller object lay beneath this in a north south orientation. These marked the level of previous excavations. The spars overlay numerous concretions, many of which seem to have consolidated into a large amorphous mass (Feature two) This originated at the port side junction, below CP2, and disappeared under the ship at this point. Amongst the mass were smaller concretions, many containing remnants of glass bottles, clay pipes, or merely the casts of these. One of these contained a pewter cup (A0036, Photo 15) that had rose and crown mark on its base. One of these appeared to contain bars (A0044), concreted blades (A0067) and knife handles (A0041). Concreted lead rolls were also recovered, suggesting that some at least were contemporary with the wreck. The matrix within which the concretions lay was predominantly sand, but still containing razor shells albeit less numerous. Broken wood was also encountered. As the depth increased, more complete glass bottles were recovered (A0043), similarly the amount of clay increased so in one area 122 portions were recovered from one dive (00470). Boxes of pipes had been recovered from the port side during previous excavations and it is not impossible that objects such as pipes and knives had originally been contained in boxes. - 32 -