Excavation

Date 1974 - 1976

Event ID 928745

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/928745

In 1974 and 1976 small teams (including up to six divers) under R Price returned to complete excavation of area F and undertake excavation elsewhere. Less visual searching was carried out in this period than before. Small explosive charges and a light water-jet were used on occasion but a water-dredge proved ineffective on the heavy gravels of the site.

Eleven weeks were spent on site in 1974 and fifteen in 1976, work being carried out simultaneously with the investigation of the De Liefde (HU67SE 8011). Surface demand diving was used throughout, giving longer times underwater, and the finds were passed to Shetland County Museum, Lerwick, where many concretions were excavated.

Excavation of site C aimed to isolate and lift the large lump of concretion found in the middle of the area defined. Completion of this operation allowed the museum extraction of one complete and six broken staves of an oak cask (1.2m high), to the inner side of which a large quantity of barley husks was adherent. Excavation within the area revealed other finds, including a cache of lead scraps, a ring of iron concretion, and about a hundred fragments of green bottle glass. The position of this area beneath the shipping channel through the South Mouth has caused a significant degree of modern contamination, limiting the evidential value of the assemblage.

Sites F (also known as Bellarmine Gully) and G are situated contiguously in about 8m depth of water on the W side of the channel through the South Mouth. They were found to contain the most densely concentrated remains so far discovered, and were free of modern contamination. Beneath the loose gravel over the greater part of both sites was a level of 'organic matte' which retained a considerable degree of inherent strength. This was formed of wood fragments and splinters (some of them highly degraded but others in good condition) with marine plant remains, fragments of coal and resin, seeds (including peppercorn) and pieces of leather. The peppercorns may be considered as residue from the ship's previous voyage, and the deposit had evidently accumulated very quickly to form an undisturbed 17th century horizon.

Site G was found to contain two areas which were heavily tar-impregnated and within which there were several substantial timbers (two of them 0.84m long) set in considerable puddles of tar. Two of these timbers (the only joined timbers in the wreck) were nailed together and probably represent a piece of planking with a length of anti-worm sheathing attached. The organic layer within the S of the area was particularly productive of artefacts, notably rope, footwear, pottery and clay pipe fragments.

The 'organic matte' is interpreted as having been formed relatively rapidly and soon after the ship was wrecked, explaining the clean and unabraded condition of the artefacts included. Although not certain, it appears most probable that this material was derived from the bilges, and was thus waterlogged before deposition. Heavier items found in sites F and G included a concretion which contained cheap jewellery and ornaments, bone dice, thimbles, silver coins, tobacco boxes, brass bodkins and a pocket sundial in quantities indicative of (illegal) private trading. A Bellarmine flagon was also found to have been buried in the organic level of site G and then broken into 55 pieces without being subsequently disturbed. This debris clearly derives from a specific part of the ship which broke away at the point where the seabed slopes steeply upwards.

The area around Stoura Stack was further investigated, and the location of discovery of over a hundred lead ballast-pigs recorded in a gully only 10m from the corner of the stack. Although they were found sunk up to four deep in the gravel and aligned with the direction of the gully, this must indicate the area in which the ship first struck. Other finds in the gully comprise considerable numbers of yellow Dutch bricks ('Overijsselsde Steen') and iron cannon balls of various sizes, which were also derived from the ballast.

It is suggested that the ship suffered major damage on hitting the stack, initially spilling heavy items from the bilges as the bottom split open. The floating remains then drifted northwards, driven by the southerly gale, so that the final location of the remains was determined by the state of the tide. If the wreck took place within about an hour of Low Water, an eastwards-setting tidal current would have washed debris ashore at Old Man Stack or beyond; this would account for the two cannon found in this area although a substantial portion of the ship would have to remain intact to support them. Under this theory, the area of wreckage to the SW of the stack must have been deposited later, possibly when it floated back through the South Mouth on the morning after the disaster. Alternatively, if the ship were wrecked within the other nine hours of the tidal cycle, distribution of the remains would have been controlled by the strong tidal flow out of the South Mouth, the cannon off Old Man Stack being unassociated with this loss.

The following finds are specifically noted:

Coins: a further seven coins (of various metals but none of them diagnostic) were found to add to the 59 silver coins found in two piles within site F.

Jewellery, ornaments and thimbles: objects found of this class included four brass tobacco-boxes, three heart-shaped pendants of pewter or similar alloy, and a variety of cheap jewellery (as noted above).

Clay pipes: over 400 varied fragments were found, all apparently made at Gouda.

Salt-glazed stoneware: a further complete flagon was found, to add to the four found previously. Over 800 fragments have also been found.

Oil-jar pottery: the discovery of 28 fragments is noted, apparently from a massive storage vessel.

Earthenware and other pottery: further substantial portions of pipkins have been recovered along with sherds of earthenware plates and bowls (notably on sites C, F and G) and substantial quantities of a very coarse ware which was probably derived from small crucibles.

Glass: over 1000 fragments of green bottle glass have been recovered, including several dozen bases. Some fragments of clear fine glass have also been found in a good state of preservation.

Pewter bottle tops: nearly a hundred of these items were found. Only one stamp has been noted, but variations in design are apparent.

Pewter objects: nine lengths of pewter handle (probably for spoons), seven lengths of handles with part of the bowl attached, one detached bowl, and five complete spoons have been found.

Lead objects: about 20 pieces of lead sheathing have been noted, and have neither discernible shape nor nail holes. Other lead objects include tags, weights and sounding leads.

Iron objects: most iron objects have been destroyed by corrosion or survive as casts in concretion. Two objects (one of them a ring-bolt) remain substantially intact.

Bronze and brass objects: apart from fish hooks, brass pins and a padlock, these comprise small functional pieces.

Navigational and scientific instruments: a pair of navigational bow dividers, a graduated wooden rule and fragments of pocket sundials were noted.

Armament: a further brass spike and a gun flint were found.

Wooden objects: over twenty treenails and four identifiable artifacts were found within the organic matte in sites F and G..

Rope and other organic material: peppercorns, rush matting, a 'Flemish coil' of plaited rope and various other fragments were also found within the organic matte in sites F and G..

Leatherwork: parts of twelve boots or shoes were found on sites F and G together with other scraps.

Objects of bone, horn or ivory: bone dice and knife-handles, horn combs and other objects were found.

Objects of stone: complete or fragmentary slate pencils and whetstones were found, as well as a semicircular slate and a grindstone.

(Background documentary and historical information cited: catalogue of finds with selected examples illustrated. The uses of specific navigational instruments are considered and illustrated. For site plan indicating excavated areas, see fig. 1, for plan of sites F and G, see fig. 2, and for sections across site G, see fig. 3. For plan indicating locations of artifacts around Stoura Stack, see fig. 10).

Summary by RCAHMS (RJCM) Undated

Source: R Price and K Muckelroy 1977.