Bugeye Bottoms: The Archaeological Investigations Of A Chesapeake Bay Vessel Type

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The mid-Atlantic oyster industry of the United States greatly expanded in the 19th century from advancements in oyster fishing equipment. As a result, the traditional sailing vessels used in the Chesapeake Bay region were modified specifically to dredge for oysters. A variety of new boat types were created that were capable of dredging in deep water while maintaining the ability to traverse the shallow inlets of the region. When the oyster boom dwindled in the early 20th century, these boats were abandoned, and many specific types were forgotten. Only a few vessel types, such as the bugeye, were thoroughly recorded in the historical record. Recent archaeological investigations, however, provide even more information of the bugeye type not found within the historical record. This paper discusses the documentation of multiple bugeye shipwreck sites and the efforts to identify the specific construction elements of the vessel type.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SHA 2023 General Sessions   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow