Water and Wood Landings can leave a Mark: Ship Graffiti as Evidence of Visitation to Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Summary

With the rounding of Cape Horn in the late eighteenth century, pelagic whalers forever altered the landscape of the Pacific Ocean. The vast whale populations they found led to an exponential growth in ships exploiting the rich hunting grounds and exploring for sources of fresh food, water, and firewood. Locations of islands offering reprovisioning opportunities spread among whalers and visits were incorporated into seasonal movements. One such place that became well known for abundant sources of fresh water and wood is Costa Rica’s Cocos Island. Many early to mid-nineteenth century whaling and trading ships landed boats there and crew members developed a practice of inscribing names and dates onto the many stones that litter the shores of the two main bays. Recent archaeological investigations at Cocos Island produced an inventory of visible markings and opened a dialogue about the reason for their creation and the need for additional documentation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions) 2018   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 1102