Underwater Archaeological Investigations of a 16th Century Shipwreck in the Dominican Republic

Summary

This is a poster submission presented at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

A 16th century shipwreck off the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic represents a rare example of an incoming European vessel during early colonization of the Americas. Examples of this vessel’s cargo include horseshoes, nails, pewter dining-ware, pestles, and nested weight sets and scales, all imported to support European occupation and profitable colonization. Indiana University’s Center for Underwater Science is currently documenting and excavating the site with goals to determine the ship’s identity, explore its significance within the history of American colonization and early globalization, and create a long-term management strategy. Although the site was previously disturbed by commercial salvage, many in situ deposits and large wrought iron artifacts remain, allowing researchers to document anchors and artillery pieces in place for over 450 years. This poster will highlight preliminary results of archaeological investigations on the shipwreck site as well as ongoing archival research efforts aiming to reveal its identity.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023   •
• 2023 SHA Poster Submissions

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow