Analysis Of Artefacts From The Portuguese Nau Esmeralda (1503)

Author(s): David Parham; David L Mearns

Year: 2018

Summary

Following the recent discovery and identification of the wreck site of two Portuguese naus from Vasco da Gama’s second voyage to India lost in 1503 off the coast of Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman, a series of scientific analyses were conducted to better understand the origin, manufacture and use of certain types of the recovered artefacts.  The artefacts studied include stone shot, composite lead/iron shot, breech powder chambers, coins and a rare copper-alloy disc that has the appearance of an early astrolabe.  The study provides new information about how the early Portuguese fleets from the Age of Discovery were prepared.

Cite this Record

Analysis Of Artefacts From The Portuguese Nau Esmeralda (1503). David Parham, David L Mearns. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2018 ( tDAR id: 441911)

Keywords

General
Esmeralda Nau Portuguese

Geographic Keywords
United Kingdom Western Europe

Temporal Keywords
1498-1503

Spatial Coverage

min long: -8.158; min lat: 49.955 ; max long: 1.749; max lat: 60.722 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 683