Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal
Part of: Society for Historical Archaeology 2023
This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal," at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.
Called the ‘Wickedest City on Earth,’ Port Royal, Jamaica, was the second largest mercantile center in the English colonies during the late 17th century. The bustling port town was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1692. In 1981, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA), Texas A&M University, and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust began a 10-year underwater archaeological investigation. Five buildings were investigated, including a multi-purpose shop and residential houses. Remains of a ship were also identified.
The papers in this session revisit the artifacts and their continued care in light of recent efforts to digitize the records in a transferable database. These efforts involve continued efforts of archaeology, extending beyond excavation. This collaborative project between faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students at Texas A&M used a digital museum database, PastPerfect, to prepare for repatriation and provided research opportunities for students. Such projects highlight the continued work and value of archaeology.
Other Keywords
Conservation •
collaboration •
Digital •
cataloguing •
Metals •
Catalogue •
Repatriation •
Nautical Archaeology •
Clay Tobacco Pipes •
Port Royal
Geographic Keywords
Americas •
Saint Catherine (State / Territory) •
Manchester (State / Territory) •
Clarendon (State / Territory) •
Saint Andrew (State / Territory) •
Hanover (State / Territory) •
Saint Mary (State / Territory) •
Portland (State / Territory) •
Jamaica (Country) •
Saint Thomas (State / Territory)
Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-7 of 7)
- Documents (7)
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Collaboration and Mentorship (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. The underwater excavation of Port Royal, Jamaica uncovered an archaeological collection that has recently afforded students at Texas A&M further opportunities for collaboration and research. Graduate and undergraduate students joined together through mentorship programs offered at A&M: the Graduate-Undergraduate...
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Conservation Efforts and the Current State of the Port Royal Collection (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. The Port Royal excavation revealed a diverse range of artifacts and structures. Both brick and wooden structures were found, as well as artifacts of wood, ceramics, glass and metals. Each of these materials necessitated a different conservation approach and continues to require unique handling during its...
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Examination of Metal Materials of Port Royal, Jamaica (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. Excavations at Port Royal, Jamaica, have allowed for continued research into this 17th-century sunken city. Metal artifacts found throughout the site provide materials for in-depth analysis of the tools used by craftsmen and the general public. This allows for the examination of use, maker identification, and...
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Future of the Project and Collections (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. An essential element of archaeology is the restoring of art or cultural heritage to the country of origin or former owners. Repatriation has had a difficult history in archaeology. Even today, not all cases are simple. One incentive of the cataloging project was preparation for the Port Royal collection to be...
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History of Port Royal and the Digital Catalogue of Artifacts (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. In 1655, Port Royal, Jamaica was captured as a consolation prize for Lord Oliver Cromwell after the Spanish soundly defeated an English attempt to conquer Hispaniola. Throughout the rest of the 17th century, Port Royal quickly grew to become the second largest mercantile center in the English colonies and served...
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The Kaolin Clay Pipes (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. At the Port Royal, Jamaica site over 20,000 English kaolin clay pipe bowl and stem fragments were recovered over the 10-year collaborative excavation between the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, Texas A&M University, and the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. These pipes are ubiquitous artifacts, excellent for...
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Past Perfect in Underwater Contexts (2023)
DOCUMENT Citation Only
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Ongoing Care and Study Through a Digital Catalogue of Port Royal", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology. The various features and affordability of PastPerfect make it a popular choice for thousands of museums and archives. Besides small patches, the software has not released an updated version since 2010 and is quickly falling behind modern archaeology. Mass editing is difficult, and search functions are...