Expedition Costa Rica: Cahuita’s Brick and Cannon Shipwreck Sites

Summary

East Carolina University’s Program in Maritime Studies studied two shipwreck sites in Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica. These sites presented unique challenges to the group because of their location, distribution, similarities, unique formation processes, and role as part of a dynamic and protected ecosystem. One site has a brick pile and few scattered artifacts, including cannon, concretions, a grinding stone, and two bottles. The other has 13 pieces of concreted cannon, two anchors, and a few scattered brick. The methodologies varied from site to site because of the distribution patterns and the environmental conditions. This preliminary study resulted in site plans; a marine survey; and ideas of site formation, including: burning, scuttling, and a disaster response trail. This can linked to historical accounts and local anecdotes of historic and modern salvage, slave ships, and pirates.

Cite this Record

Expedition Costa Rica: Cahuita’s Brick and Cannon Shipwreck Sites. Hannah Piner, Lauren M Christian, Mitchell Freitas, Allyson G. Ropp, Sydney Swierenga. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434877)

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Keywords

Temporal Keywords
18th Century

Spatial Coverage

min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 834