Life Among the Wind and Waves: Examining Living Conditions on Sailing Vessels Through the Use of Microscopic Remains

Summary

In the summer of 2015, sediment samples were collected from the Storm Wreck, a colonial-era sailing vessel that wrecked off the coast of Florida, with the expectation of recovering microscopic remains that would provide insight into the lives of those aboard the vessel.  Sediment samples collected from the Emanuel Point wrecks, also located on the Florida coast, were previously analyzed. This material, which consisted of insect remains, animal bones, and botanical remains painted a picture of what living conditions would have been like aboard sailing vessels. It is hoped that comparable remains will be found in the Storm Wreck sediments, leading to a similar understanding of the living conditions aboard. A comparison between the sites would lead to an understanding of the similarities and differences of living conditions in vessels of various nationalities, purposes, and time periods, as well as the site formation processes that affect material preservation and recovery.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Archaeology, Conservation, and Interpretation of the Storm Wreck, a Wartime Refugee Vessel Evacuating Charleston, South Carolina at the End of the American Revolution and Lost at St. Augustine, Florida on 31 December 1782   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 880