Page 48 - TVH 2000 Anniversary Shipwreck Project

six copper alloy buckles (A0223-228) together with ceramic and pipe fragments and the odd brick. The fine grey sand layer held concretions, many with stalactite formations as though they had formed on the underneath of an overhanging structure, possibly the ends of iron bolts which in time hardened the sand19. The purity of the golden sand layer at 1170mm that may represent the original seabed level. The lack of finds in the layer above suggests that this was a harder clay layer that formed when the ship landed on the seabed. Recording All items excavated from trenches 2 and 3 were given artefact numbers and kept. Where many items of the same type such as broken bottles, lead rolls, pins and specie were excavated together they were given the same number with part numbers, for example lead rolls (A0490 1-11) and bricks (A0420 1-350) Finds Trenches 2 and 3 Three hundred and ninety finds were recovered from trenches 2 and 3 during 55 dives, 214 from trench 3 outboard with 183 of these from sector W8A. All of these are of a mixed nature, some personal, some ship’s equipment such as an oil lamps (Photos 21,22), pipes and taps (Photo 23) as well as the net weights20 (Photos 24, 25). Trench 2, Inboard Excavation in trench 2 included sectors B5A, B6A, B7A, B8A and further inboard, B7B, B8B. In addition, a small excavation to reveal detail of the cylindrical Feature (4) revealed a few items. All of these are listed in Appendix 1 by simple name within each sector. The density of finds increases to the east (port side) with most types of finds being found in greater numbers outboard. One exception was in B7B, where 60 ducatons were found, with 22 on one dive (78) and 23 on another (113). Most items are of a durable nature, with inorganics most prevalent. Unusual features included the discrete pockets of fruit stones and seeds (A0360, 1-25, 0421) and bones (A0360, A0361). Dating these items might prove interesting, as it is possible that these are modern contaminants discarded during previous excavation seasons. Their incorporation within sediments yielding ducatons (A0362) and other wreck-derived objects (A0359 - A0364) is important21. The brick cargo contained a number of items within the white clay matrix around the bricks. The majority were not found in groups which one could suggest had derived from broken containers, but more as isolated individual objects. These objects appear to be more personal than cargo in nature, there were few identical objects reflective of bulk goods in transit. Items within the bricks consisted of durable individual objects such as buckles (Photo 26), buttons, cloth seals which may have derived from a cargo of cloth bales, pewter spoons (Photo 27) and ducatons, some in small groups which may have resulted from decayed purses (A0414, 1-23). Buckles and Buttons The eight copper alloy buckles all appear unique, and although three were uncovered in one dive (111), even these were different. The eight buttons were recovered on four separate dives (85,95,111.115). Cloth Seals All three cloth seals were within the bricks, two found together on one dive (85) and one in the previous (84). These items, together with the wine bottles, bricks and wood, are the only real indicators of cargo goods in trench 2. It is possible that cloth bales stored above the bricks have disintegrated leaving only the seals trapped within the bricks. Pipes Only 9 pipe fragments were recovered. 19 Video log dive 105 20 For a typical example see dive 126 21 Video log dive 108 - 42 -