Excavating a French Regime icon in the St. Lawrence, 1759: The Maréchal de Senneterre?

Summary

Since 2006, archaeologists from the Université of Montréal have been investigating a wreck in the St. Lawrence River that appears to be one of four French naval ships lost on 22 November 1759, in the aftermath of the British Conquest of New France. Tidal currents and visibility are significant constraints to maritime archaeology in this region, but the team has developed a methodology that is increasingly bearing fruit. After sonar scans and collecting oral history, a systematic campaign to document the remains began in 2012. We will present these findings that show a wreck more than 35 metres in length, built in a style that sheds light on French construction methods in the middle of the 18th century. The best hypothesis for the wreck’’s identity is the Maréchal de Senneterre, launched in Bayonne in 1757, long a part of the St. Lawrence maritime cultural landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Bringing French Shipwreck Historical Archaeology to the Next Level   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-45,06