New discoveries are made at the lighthouse every day in our maritime research conservation lab. As we continue to clean and prepare artifacts from a 1782 British Loyalist wreck found just off St. Augustine’s coast for an upcoming exhibit, we are learning more about the wreck and the people who were on board this vessel. In 2010, we recovered a concretion from the “Storm Wreck” that contained a pistol. From the initial X-ray we learned that [...]
Some of the most exciting finds from the Storm Wreck have been the smallest artifacts. Two military buttons were found while excavating and conserving objects. They helped provide some of the best diagnostic information about the ship and what it was doing. RP button The first button was found while removing concretion from the exterior of a larger artifact, the ship’s bell. The bell was excavated and began conservation treatment in 2011, and [...]
One of the most recent artifacts I have begun conserving is again an unexpected find. It is also a fitting item for the Storm Wreck as it is a microcosm of what has been found so far. One of my job responsibilities is to perform public education while conserving objects. This typically means cleaning artifacts outside and interacting with visitors and answering their questions. Tuesday through Friday I usually work on concretions that either have [...]
Now is a great time to look back on 2014 by organizing photos and mementos. Family get-togethers are the perfect chance to relive the year with loved ones. Choose the right materials and methods to scrapbook your memories. All photos and 2D material, such as letters and greeting cards, should be scanned and the digital file must kept safe, one file with the originals and another in a different place as a backup in case of disaster. Keeping [...]
Perhaps the easiest material to recognize while conserving is lead. It is easily distinguishable when excavated and handled due to its extreme density. Divers mostly know when they are picking up lead versus cast iron. None more so than the large deck pump recovered in 2011, which weighs nearly 300 pounds. Lead deck pump after excavation. Lead artifacts are also easy to pick out after excavation during the X-ray process. They show up [...]
In 2013, in the Samut Sakhon province in Thailand, a centuries old vessel was discovered in one of the many shrimp growing ponds in the area. Through an initial excavation, archaeologists identified the vessel as an Arab style sewn boat, dating to the 9th century A.D. After a time, they realized certain components of the vessel and associated artifacts were deteriorating, which brought most of the excavation to a halt while authorities considered the best [...]
Artifacts are not always readily recognizable when looking at the mass of sand and shell that is brought up. We take X-rays of the concretion to see if there are any artifacts of interest or something unique within. If there are items we would like to work on, we try to identify what the artifact is and what to expect when chiseling off the concretion. This, however, primarily limits us to whatever shows up the [...]
When concretions are brought up from the Storm Wreck excavation site, they are documented meticulously. This is to in order to record the location and any possible relation to surrounding artifacts and the site as a whole. However, unless there are some very telling diagnostics or features, it’s usually very tough to tell what the concretion actually is. For this, we take the concretions to get X-rayed. A two-legged mystery Artifact 234 came out of [...]
You never know exactly what you will come across when conserving artifacts. When an artifact is found on site, it is documented, photographed and X-rayed to determine what it is and if it’s something of interest to conserve. Sometimes, though, objects will be too thick or have too much material in the way to give a clear X-ray image. Fortunately, in some instances, the artifact is identifiable and easier to work on. In December 2010, [...]
As part of an exhibit project sponsored in part by the Department of State, Division of Historical Resources and the State of Florida, two of the largest and most recognizable artifacts at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum are currently undergoing a little extra conservation. Visitors to the lighthouse have seen two cannons outside of the Keeper’s House for the last few years. The 4-pound long gun and the 9-pound carronade were excavated in the summer of [...]