"…nothing else of great artifactual value" or "…found nothing on the site at all": What remains of an eighteenth century colonial shipwreck in Biscayne National Park?

Summary

The title of this paper illuminates the short sided approach held by those in search of "treasure" in the 1960s and 1970s in south Florida. It also provides a window into the past and present about how the Pillar Dollar Wreck in Biscayne National Park has been, and continues to be, impacted by adventure seekers, treasure salvors and looters. This paper outlines recent archaeological excavations of the Pillar Dollar Wreck and reveals there is still much to be found and studied in the shifting sands. Investigations at the site expose both a history rich in colonial maritime activities as well as one of unchecked destruction by thrill-seeking treasure grabs.

Cite this Record

"…nothing else of great artifactual value" or "…found nothing on the site at all": What remains of an eighteenth century colonial shipwreck in Biscayne National Park?. Melissa Price, Jennifer F McKinnon, Charles Lawson. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Washington, D.C. 2016 ( tDAR id: 434925)

Keywords

Temporal Keywords
Colonial

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): 158