2023/03/01 by Wendy van Duivenvoorde, Lauren Davison, Mark E. Polzer +4 · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Maritime and Coastal Archaeology #Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s41636-023-00394-3
openalex publication_date 2023/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Abstract This article shows that it is possible to identify a vessel from disarticulated ship remains missing their original depositional context. By studying a dispersed collection of timbers, fasteners, and hull sheathing from a previously unidentified shipwreck on the Gold Coast, Australia, the authors were able to identify the remains as most likely from the colonial schooner Heroine . In this instance there were several possible identifications for the disarticulated ship remains, so historical research, detailed artifact recording, and timber and metal analyses were used to study the ship elements. The results showed a range of timbers preferred by New South Wales shipwrights and copper sheathing of a datable metal composition, generating new knowledge of the material selection and techniques used in Australian colonial shipbuilding in general. While disarticulated or context-free shipwreck remains are often only able to provide a generic cultural or type affiliation, this study shows that through detailed analysis it is possible to ascribe a ship’s name to the dispersed structural elements.