Steel and Honor: An Artifact Examination of Edward Preble's Naval Officer Sword

Author(s): Ryan W. Miranda

Year: 2020

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Innovative Approaches to Finding Agency in Objects" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Commodore Edward Preble was a founding father of the United States Navy. He served in the Revolutionary War, Quasi-War with France, and led a squadron that was pivotal in ending the Barbary Wars (1801-1805). During his command in the Barbary Wars, he commanded from his flagship, USS Constitution, always carrying his sword, as a mark of his rank. This sword now resides in the Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland as a testament to Edward Preble’s impact on the U.S. Navy. This study analyzes connections between Edward Preble’s naval officer sword, as a symbol of social dimensions like honor, patriotism, and prestige, and the traditions of a United States Naval Officer. This study also uses 3D photogrammetry as a method to enhance the analysis and preservation of an artifact.

Cite this Record

Steel and Honor: An Artifact Examination of Edward Preble's Naval Officer Sword. Ryan W. Miranda. 2020 ( tDAR id: 457056)

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Keywords

Temporal Keywords
1800-1812

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): 941