an intact wooden chest from the 1686 wreck of la belle michael c. west, m.a., research associate,...
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An Intact Wooden Chest from An Intact Wooden Chest from the 1686 Wreck of the 1686 Wreck of La BelleLa Belle
Michael C. West, M.A., Research Associate, Conservation Research Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station,
TX
Background
Other Finds:
Trade Items (knives, glass beads, hawk’s bells, brass Jesuit rings)
Weaponry (polearms, muskets, swords)
Navigational Tools (nocturnal, dividers, sounding leads)
Thesis Research Thesis Research QuestionsQuestions
Who did the chest belong to?Who did the chest belong to? Was the chest locked? Private or public?Was the chest locked? Private or public? Why is there such an eclectic group of items?Why is there such an eclectic group of items? Why was this chest on the ship when it sank?Why was this chest on the ship when it sank?
Preliminary Preliminary WorkWork
CleaningCleaning OrientationOrientation HardwareHardware SideboardsSideboards
Chest DiscoveriesChest Discoveries
X-raysX-rays FastenersFasteners HingesHinges LockLock OrientationOrientation
The Beauty of the BrassThe Beauty of the Brass
Scabbard Chape
Sword Hilt Guard
Diamond-shaped Washer on Brewer’s Gimlet
Thimble Fragment
Dividers
Sword Hilt Knuckle Bow
AugersAugers
One One complete complete auger with auger with wooden wooden handle, + handle, + five five additional additional iron bits iron bits wrapped wrapped together together with twinewith twine
Tinderbox Tinderbox Very poor conditionVery poor condition Made of tinMade of tin Circular, about 12 cm (5 inches) across and Circular, about 12 cm (5 inches) across and
4.5 cm (1 ¾ inches) high 4.5 cm (1 ¾ inches) high Five compartments insideFive compartments inside
One small circular compartment in center, about 2 One small circular compartment in center, about 2 cm acrosscm across
Four other chambers created by tin walls Four other chambers created by tin walls radiating away from this center compartment at radiating away from this center compartment at ninety degree anglesninety degree angles
Lead-based solder for securing compartment Lead-based solder for securing compartment walls to rest of boxwalls to rest of box
Shackle Shackle Bolt Bolt LockLock
A quick-fix A quick-fix for holding for holding prisoners?prisoners?
Sounding Lead (Shallow Sounding Lead (Shallow Water)Water)
Weight: 3.38 kg (7.45 lb)Weight: 3.38 kg (7.45 lb)
Sword Sword HiltHilt
GripGripKnuckle Knuckle
BowBowGuardGuard
Where is the Where is the missing missing
piece, the piece, the pommel?pommel?
Pewter ForkPewter Fork- “M CARDIN” & “FIN”- “M CARDIN” & “FIN”
1691: Michel Cardin 1691: Michel Cardin becomes one of three becomes one of three pewter tax officials in La pewter tax officials in La RochelleRochelle
1707: Cardin dies and his 1707: Cardin dies and his wife Elizabeth takes over wife Elizabeth takes over his authority as tax officialhis authority as tax official
OwnershipOwnership
Cooper – cooper’s axe, cooper’s adze, 2 Cooper – cooper’s axe, cooper’s adze, 2 cooper’s draw knives, brewer’s gimlet, cooper’s draw knives, brewer’s gimlet, cold chisel, cooper’s heading sawcold chisel, cooper’s heading saw
Carpenter – square, mortising chisel, 2 Carpenter – square, mortising chisel, 2 adzes, hatchet, 2 gouges, gimlet, draw adzes, hatchet, 2 gouges, gimlet, draw knife, augersknife, augers
Ship’s Pilot – sounding lead, fishing Ship’s Pilot – sounding lead, fishing spear, net weight, dividers, possible gaffspear, net weight, dividers, possible gaff
OwnershipOwnership
Livestock Tender? Soldier? Farmer? One Livestock Tender? Soldier? Farmer? One of the elite? (Sword, 3 padlocks, possible of the elite? (Sword, 3 padlocks, possible gate pull, thimble, lead shot, 4 drumsticks, gate pull, thimble, lead shot, 4 drumsticks, fork…)fork…)
Maybe a kleptomaniac! Maybe a kleptomaniac!
Initials: “WF” from gimlet & “IO”? “JO”? Initials: “WF” from gimlet & “IO”? “JO”? “OI”? “OJ”? (etc) from fork = Differing “OI”? “OJ”? (etc) from fork = Differing origins!origins!
A A PossiblePossible History History
La Rochelle La Rochelle l’Aimablel’Aimable L’Aimable L’Aimable Camp constructed of Camp constructed of
l’Aimable l’Aimable woodwood Camp Camp La BelleLa Belle La Belle La Belle Staging Area Staging Area Staging Area Staging Area Permanent Settlement Permanent Settlement
-- -- La Salle reverses orders!La Salle reverses orders!Permanent Settlement Permanent Settlement Back to Back to BelleBelle, ,
one last time…one last time…
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