269 SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS The basque whaling ship from Red Bay, Labrador: a treasure trove of data on Iberian atlantic shipbuilding design and techniques in the mid-16th century ❚ ROBERT GRENIER ❚ A 16th century Basque whaling ship is the oldest European wreck yet discovered in America, north of Florida. Believed to be the San Juan, a galleon or nao sunk in 1565, the wreck was relocated in September 1978 by a Parks Canada team in the harbour of Red Bay, Labrador. It was discovered mostly buried, in an excellent state of preservation, in water 25 to 40 feet deep, some 100 feet from the inner shore of Saddle Island, at the entrance to the harbour. Loaded with hundreds of barricas originally filled with whale oil, the wreck was lying near a series of rendering ovens on shore. From the autumn of 1978 until the early winter of 1985, the wreck site became the object of one of the most painstaking underwater archaeological projects undertaken anywhere. Typically each field season was 5 to 6 months long, and a total of 14000 hours of diving in Red Bay’s icy arctic waters were amassed during the project. The end result was the full excavation of the site, including the dismantling and raising to the surface of 3000 timbers which were meticulously recorded in laboratory conditions and then reburied systematically on the site, in a manner which will preserve them. Since the completion of the “First Dig” over a decade and a half ago, our team of archaeologists and researchers has conducted a methodical “Second Dig” through the collected archaeological and archival data. One of our principal goals has been to understand and explain the design and construction of this 16th century ship of Iberian penin- sula origin. Parks Canada’s Red Bay research has yielded a report of 3000 manuscript pages, illustrated with more than 1200 elaborate drawings, maps and photographs: putting the finishing touches on the report, which will be submitted for publication shortly, has preoccupied our team and has prevented us from contributing in due fashion to the symposium proceedings Archaeology of Medieval and Modern Ships of Iberian-Atlantic Tradition. At the suggestion of the editor, however, we have submitted an illustrative overview of our findings: 30 of the 1232 illustrations to be included in the final report. Some of these illustrations are photographs of the 1:10 scale archaeological research model we developed following Richard Steffy’s pioneering approach, while others are line drawings, site maps, and photographs. Most have been chosen to illustrate diagnostic elements of the 204 tonelada Iberian ship as found at Red Bay, particularly features in the midship and stern sec- tions of the ship.
26
Embed
Trabalhos de Arqueologia 18 - The Basque whaling ship from ... · A 16th century Basque whaling ship is the oldest European wreck yet discovered in America, north of Florida. Believed
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
269
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
The basque whaling ship from Red Bay,Labrador: a treasure trove of data on Iberianatlantic shipbuilding design and techniquesin the mid-16th century
❚ ROBERT GRENIER ❚
A 16th century Basque whaling ship is the oldest European wreck yet discovered in
America, north of Florida. Believed to be the San Juan, a galleon or nao sunk in 1565, the wreck
was relocated in September 1978 by a Parks Canada team in the harbour of Red Bay, Labrador.
It was discovered mostly buried, in an excellent state of preservation, in water 25 to 40 feet
deep, some 100 feet from the inner shore of Saddle Island, at the entrance to the harbour.
Loaded with hundreds of barricas originally filled with whale oil, the wreck was lying near a
series of rendering ovens on shore.
From the autumn of 1978 until the early winter of 1985, the wreck site became the object
of one of the most painstaking underwater archaeological projects undertaken anywhere.
Typically each field season was 5 to 6 months long, and a total of 14000 hours of diving in Red
Bay’s icy arctic waters were amassed during the project. The end result was the full excavation
of the site, including the dismantling and raising to the surface of 3000 timbers which were
meticulously recorded in laboratory conditions and then reburied systematically on the site, in
a manner which will preserve them. Since the completion of the “First Dig” over a decade and
a half ago, our team of archaeologists and researchers has conducted a methodical “Second Dig”
through the collected archaeological and archival data. One of our principal goals has been to
understand and explain the design and construction of this 16th century ship of Iberian penin-
sula origin.
Parks Canada’s Red Bay research has yielded a report of 3000 manuscript pages, illustrated
with more than 1200 elaborate drawings, maps and photographs: putting the finishing touches
on the report, which will be submitted for publication shortly, has preoccupied our team and has
prevented us from contributing in due fashion to the symposium proceedings Archaeology of
Medieval and Modern Ships of Iberian-Atlantic Tradition. At the suggestion of the editor, however,
we have submitted an illustrative overview of our findings: 30 of the 1232 illustrations to be
included in the final report.
Some of these illustrations are photographs of the 1:10 scale archaeological research model
we developed following Richard Steffy’s pioneering approach, while others are line drawings,
site maps, and photographs. Most have been chosen to illustrate diagnostic elements of the
204 tonelada Iberian ship as found at Red Bay, particularly features in the midship and stern sec-
tions of the ship.
270
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG
. 1
– S
ite
pla
n s
ho
win
g m
ost
ly a
rtic
ula
ted
str
uct
ura
l re
mai
ns,
exp
ose
d f
oll
ow
ing
th
e ex
cava
tio
n o
f th
e h
ull
in
teri
or.
Fro
m l
eft
to r
igh
t d
ow
n t
he
cen
trel
ine
are:
th
e b
ow
spri
t, l
ead
ing
to
th
e g
entl
e
curv
e o
f th
e st
em,
the
kee
lso
n a
nd
mai
n m
ast
step
, fo
llo
wed
by
the
low
er e
nd
of
the
ster
n p
ost
an
d t
he
coll
apse
d t
ran
som
. T
he
lon
git
ud
inal
tim
ber
s o
n t
he
up
per
mid
dle
sec
tio
n i
nd
icat
e th
e le
vel
of
the
low
er d
eck
(D
raw
ing
: P
. W
add
ell,
Par
ks
Can
ada;
24
M-8
4-1
01-
07).
3432
302
82
62
42
22
018
1614
1210
86
42
20
0
T S R Q P N M L K J H
271
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG
. 2
– S
catt
ered
tim
ber
pla
n r
epre
sen
tin
g t
wo
-th
ird
s o
f th
e n
earl
y 30
00
tim
ber
s re
cord
ed o
n s
ite.
Th
e k
eels
on
an
d o
utl
ine
of
the
arti
cula
ted
hu
ll,
wh
ich
co
vere
d m
uch
of
the
loo
se t
imb
ers,
is s
ho
wn
su
per
imp
ose
d (
Dra
win
g:
Par
ks
Can
ada;
24
M-2
00
0-1
01-
2).
3432
302
82
62
42
22
018
1614
1210
86
42
20
0
T S R Q P N M L K J H
272
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG
. 3
– P
rofi
le o
f th
e p
rin
cip
al t
imb
ers,
sh
ow
ing
th
eir
bas
ic d
imen
sio
ns.
Th
e st
em c
on
form
s ro
ug
hly
to
an
arc
of
9 c
od
os
(5.1
6m
) ra
diu
s, r
efle
ctin
g t
heh
eig
ht
of
the
stem
at
its
forw
ard
mo
st p
oin
t.
Th
e k
eel le
ng
th (
14.7
3m)
isp
rese
nte
d h
ere
as a
mea
sure
men
t b
etw
een
th
e u
ptu
rn i
n t
he
kee
l ra
bb
et a
t st
eman
d s
tern
. A
t th
e st
em t
his
co
rres
po
nd
s to
th
e af
t en
d o
f th
e k
eel-
to-s
tem
scar
ph
(n
ot
visi
ble
)
wh
ile
in t
he
ster
n t
his
occ
urs
at
the
up
turn
of
the
hee
ltim
ber
(D
raw
ing
: C
. P
iper
, P
ark
s C
anad
a; 2
4M
-94
-10
3-2
).
273
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG
. 4
– D
uri
ng
th
e ex
cava
tio
n,
con
stru
ctio
n o
f a
1:10
sca
le m
od
el o
f th
e h
ull
rem
ain
s w
as c
om
men
ced
, fo
llo
win
g R
ich
ard
Ste
ffy’
s p
ion
eeri
ng
wo
rk o
n t
his
res
earc
h p
roce
ss.
Th
is i
s an
ou
tbo
ard
vie
w o
f th
e
star
bo
ard
sid
e o
f th
e ar
chae
olo
gic
al m
od
el,
mo
stly
up
to
th
e w
ater
lin
e. M
od
el m
aker
Mar
cel
Gin
gra
s is
sh
ow
n b
ehin
d.
On
ly s
elec
ted
fra
min
g a
nd
pla
nk
ing
is
in p
lace
(P
ho
to:
D.
Pag
é, P
ark
s C
anad
a, R
D-
44
59T
).
274
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG
. 5
– I
nb
oar
d v
iew
of
the
star
bo
ard
sid
e o
f th
e m
od
el w
ith
sel
ecte
d f
ram
es a
nd
pla
nk
s in
pla
ce.
Th
e fl
oo
rs a
nd
fir
st f
utt
ock
s o
f fo
urt
een
mid
ship
fra
mes
, fr
om
th
e 7th
aft
to
th
e 6
th f
orw
ard
of
the
mas
ter
fram
e, w
ere
pre
-ass
emb
led
an
d l
ater
ally
co
nn
ecte
d a
t d
ove
tail
jo
ints
(F
igu
res
9 –
13)
. ‘F
loat
ing
fra
mes
’, a
s in
sh
ell-
firs
t co
nst
ruct
ion
fra
min
g m
eth
od
, w
ere
no
t la
tera
lly
con
nec
ted
an
d a
re e
vid
ent
on
th
e
mo
del
at
the
leve
l o
f th
e se
con
d f
utt
ock
s fr
om
bo
w t
o s
tern
an
d a
t th
e le
vel
of
the
firs
t fu
tto
cks
fore
an
d a
ft o
f th
e ce
ntr
al p
re-a
ssem
ble
d f
ram
es.
Th
e w
hit
e d
ots
sh
ow
mys
teri
ou
s in
ner
‘p
lug
s’ l
ink
ed t
o t
he
des
ign
an
d c
on
stru
ctio
n p
roce
ss (
Ph
oto
: D
. P
agé,
Par
ks
Can
ada,
RD
-44
58T
).
275
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG
. 6
– S
chem
atic
dra
win
gs
sho
win
g t
he
forw
ard
en
d o
f th
e k
eel,
in
pla
n a
nd
in
sta
rbo
ard
pro
file
, at
th
e p
osi
tio
ns
of
the
7th
– 1
5th
fra
mes
fo
rwar
d o
f th
e m
aste
r fr
ame.
Th
ey s
ho
w t
he
kee
l’s
risi
ng
forw
ard
en
d w
ith
in
teg
rate
d c
arve
d g
arb
oar
ds,
th
e n
arro
win
g o
f th
e fl
at s
urf
ace
bet
wee
n t
he
gar
bo
ard
s, a
nd
ou
r in
terp
reta
tio
n o
f h
ow
th
e sc
rib
ed c
ircl
es w
ere
rela
ted
to
th
e n
arro
win
g o
f th
is s
ur-
face
(an
exa
mp
le o
f th
e gr
amin
hosy
stem
). T
he
nar
row
ing
dec
reas
ed i
n i
ncr
emen
ts t
hat
co
rres
po
nd
ed t
o t
he
dia
met
ers
of
the
scri
bed
cir
cles
. W
hil
e th
e fl
at s
urf
ace
of
the
kee
l is
ho
rizo
nta
l, t
he
sid
es
of
the
inte
gra
ted
gar
bo
ard
s ri
se w
ith
no
rel
atio
nsh
ip t
o t
he
scri
bed
cir
cles
(D
raw
ing
: C
. P
iper
, P
ark
s C
anad
a; 2
4M
-94
-10
3-1,
1a,
1b).
Nar
row
ing
of
Car
ved
Gar
bo
ard
sA
SF
OU
ND
ME
AS
UR
ES
Ris
ing
of
Car
ved
Gar
bo
ard
sA
SF
OU
ND
ME
AS
UR
ES
(C
M)
276
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG. 7 – Detail of the model showing an oblique view of the scarph joint between the carved keel with integrated
garboards (at right) and the heel of the stem (at left). Notice how the forward end of the carved keel yields to a
standard garboard arrangement at the stem scarph (Photo: R. Chan, Parks Canada, RD-309X).
FIG. 8 – The model, looking aft viewed obliquely, from the centre towards the starboard quarter, featuring the
keelson, main mast step, dovetailed floor timbers, and, in the background, a portion of the transom structure
(Photo: R. Chan, Parks Canada, RD-310X).
277
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG. 9 – Exploded view of the lateral dovetail joints of the master frame and of the 1st frames forward and aft, both identical in
section to the master. Notice the combination of two large treenail fastenings and two metal spikes at each floor to first futtock
joint, all of which were driven fore-aft (Drawing: R. Hellier, Parks Canada; 24M-83-103-14).
FIG. 10 – Schematic drawing showing the location of a scribed ‘arrow’ used to mark the turn of the bilge on the first futtock,
TT 407. Similar marks were found on other futtocks from the fourteen morticed frames (Drawing: C. Piper, Parks Canada;
24M-94-103-9).
278
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG. 12 – After they were raised to the surface for recording, four of the midship floor timbers (1st forward to 3rd aft of the mas-
ter frame, top to bottom) and eight reinforcing chocks for the main mast step were placed in their original arrangement for
this photograph. The second frame from the top is the master frame, with two dovetail mortices at either end. In the fore-
ground, the floor shows the carved-out sump hole cut vertically through it (Photo: R. Chan, Parks Canada; 24M-2056M).
FIG. 11 – Detail inboard view of the model, facing
starboard, featuring the mast step assembly
locked over the master frame (at left), the main
mast mortice, the roughly cut pump well sump,
and the indented under side of the keelson.
Notice that originally four first futtocks were
dovetailed to the master floor, although only two
are in place on the model (Photo: D. Pagé, Parks
Canada, RD-4440T).
279
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG. 13 – Schematic drawing showing the stern faces of fourteen morticed midship floor timbers. Mortices cut into the forward
faces of the floors are indicated by a dashed line (Drawing: C. Piper, Parks Canada; 24M-92-103-5).
MORTICED FLOOR TIMBERS
CENTRE LINE BETWEEN MORTICES
POSITION OF KEEL
STERN
MASTER
BOW
35 mm TREENAIL
12 mm IRON NAIL
6
5
4
3
2
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
2212
2213
2214
2215
2216
2217
2218
2219
2220
2221
2222
2223
2224
2225
280
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG. 14 – Schematic drawings of the rising floor timbers 7th – 25th forward of the master frame. Unexplained 35mm ‘plugs’ were
located on the aft faces of the crutches (except the 18th forward), and are indicated here by a dashed ‘o’ since the view is from
forward. The arrows indicate the position of the flower-line ribband. Notice the variability in the shape of the limber holes
(Drawing: C. Piper, Parks Canada; 24M-95-103-21, 21a).
7
89
12 13 14
15
1617
18 19
20
21
22
23
24
25
10
11
281
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG. 15 – Reconstruction drawing of the mast step assembly as found, facing the starboard bow, showing: the keelson’s enlarged
dimensions around the rectangular mortice for the mast heel (with an inserted corrective block), the roughly cut sump hole on
the port side, and, as shown in Figure 12, four chocks on either side of the step separated by empty spaces which were sealed
by short planks. The chocks were morticed into heavy footwales, which ran parallel to the keelson. In the foreground, unfas-
tened limber planks lie atop the floors between the keelson and footwales. Notice the ‘T’ shape of the carved keel (Drawing: C.
Piper, Parks Canada; 24M-87-103-1a).
FIG. 16 – Model detail showing the base of the main mast and the pump well assembly with the pump tube in the middle, sur-
rounded by the four corner posts of the well chamber. The cask stowage arrangement shown here was determined archaeolo-
gically by in-situ cask remains and dunnage patterns on the ceiling left by ballast stones around the pump well (Photo: R. Chan,
Parks Canada, RD-302X).
282
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG
. 17
– S
chem
atic
dra
win
g o
f th
e st
ern
po
st’s
sta
rbo
ard
ele
vati
on
sh
ow
ing
ho
w t
he
bas
ic p
ro-
po
rtio
ns
of
the
ster
n a
re w
ho
le c
odos
de
ribe
ra(5
7.4
6cm
) m
easu
rem
ents
. A
lso
no
tice
th
e 6
9°
ang
le o
f th
e st
ern
po
st,
a d
iag
no
stic
fea
ture
of
ship
s o
f th
e p
erio
d (
Dra
win
g:
C.
Pip
er,
Par
ks
Can
ada;
24
M-9
1-10
3-15
a)
Up
per
dec
k
Mai
n d
eck
3 co
do
s
3 co
do
s
10 c
od
os
6 c
od
os
± 1
0 c
od
os ± 3
co
do
s
Lo
wer
dec
k
LIN
EO
FT
UC
K
69
0
3 co
do
s ±2
met
res
FIG
. 18
– L
ow
er s
tarb
oar
d s
tern
of
the
mo
del
at
the
kee
l an
d s
tern
po
st j
un
ctio
n,
sho
win
g c
arve
d p
lan
ks
wra
pp
ed a
rou
nd
th
e lo
wer
en
d o
f th
e fa
shio
n p
iece
,
crea
tin
g a
sea
mle
ss l
ink
bet
wee
n t
he
tran
som
an
d s
tarb
oar
d s
ide.
Th
is w
as a
clev
er w
ay t
o o
verc
om
e w
eak
nes
s an
d l
eak
age
at t
his
cri
tica
l ju
nct
ion
in
th
e
squ
are
tuck
hu
ll (
Ph
oto
: R
. C
han
, P
ark
s C
anad
a; R
D-1
137W
).
283
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG
. 19
– D
raw
ing
of
the
po
rt s
ide
of
the
hee
l as
sem
bla
ge
sho
win
g t
he
low
er f
rag
men
t o
f th
e st
ern
po
st s
carp
hed
to
th
e h
eel
tim
ber
an
d l
ink
ed t
og
eth
er b
y a
hu
ge
ster
n k
nee
an
d i
ron
bo
lts.
On
e cr
ut-
ch t
imb
er,
the
17th
aft
of
the
mas
ter
fram
e, i
s sh
ow
n m
ort
iced
ove
r th
e fo
rwar
d e
nd
of
the
kn
ee (
Dra
win
g:
S.
Lau
rie-
Bo
urq
ue,
Par
ks
Can
ada;
24
M-8
3-10
3-2
).
284
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG. 20 – The model’s transom planked in a chevron pattern with the carved planks shown in Figure 18 at its base. The starboard
transom is pierced by a large, square loading port with a hinged cover. On the port side, a much smaller square port shows
signs of a nailed cover on the outside. The transom and stern post also show the imprint of two rudder gudgeons and straps.
A third gudgeon mortice appears at the very top end of the stern post just below the tiller port. Above the tiller port is a single
carved timber morticed over the counter frames and pierced with two hawse holes. On the port side top corner above the trans-
om beam, a standing knee defines the tumblehome of the absent fashion piece (Photo: C. Moore & R. Chan, Parks Canada,
RD-1106W).
285
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG. 21 – A drawing of the flat transom showing many of the features identified in Fig. 20. Notice the six large iron bolt holes
which reveal the positions of internal lodging knees, some of which are shown in Fig. 22. This drawing also emphasizes the
location of the two lowermost rudder gudgeons and their strapping, out of a total of five (Drawing: C. Piper, Parks Canada;
24M-91-103-14a).
286
PROCEEDINGS • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ARCHAEOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL AND MODERN SHIPS OF IBERIAN-ATLANTIC TRADITION
FIG. 22 – The model, showing the inboard structure of the flat transom stern. The break-up of the hull scattered many of the lod-
ging knees, and at least two examples missing here were not relocated on site (Photo: C. Moore, Parks Canada; RD 1162W).
287
SESSÕES DE TRABALHO • WORK SESSIONS
FIG. 23 – Inboard view of the starboard side of the model, showing three lower deck standing knee fragments fixed to the wall of
the ship. They were flanked by short, notched sill planks (albaola), and sat over a carved waterway. Below the carved waterway
fragment on the model, in the centre of the photograph, is a short section of the beam shelf (Photo: R. Chan, RD-326X).