(Re)Sinking History: Preserving Alexandria’s Derelict Merchant Fleet

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Urban Preservation Challenges in a Global Perspective", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

In the 18th century, Alexandria, Virginia’s waterfront was literally and figuratively created by ships. Recent redevelopment revealed the remnants of four historic vessels and numerous wharves and land making structures. These important pieces of maritime heritage have provided new opportunities for studying the past while simultaneously posing massive preservation challenges. As soon as these artifacts surfaced from the mud along the Potomac River, City of Alexandria archaeologists realized the need for exploring alternative storage methods to protect these resources for future study and exhibit. In May 2022, city staff, conservators from the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab, and archaeologists and divers from AECOM implemented a creative storage solution for the ship remnants excavated from the Robinson Landing Site. This paper outlines the process of relocating the timbers to a pond for medium-term preservation and reflects on the lessons the team has learned about managing such a large, water-logged collection.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Urban Preservation Challenges in a Global Perspective   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow