Queen Anne's Revenge
Laboratory Excavation Report
UAB Preservation Laboratory, Fort Fisher
Nathan Henry, UAB Conservator
Wendy Welsh, QAR Conservator Technician
September 2002
Eighty
nine artifacts and artifact molds were processed during the month. Molds
left in concretions by completely corroded iron objects made up 55%
of the material processed. Two casts, made several years ago were cleaned.
Plans call for extensive casting of molds in October. Ballast stones,
removed from concretions, made up 22% of the artifacts processed. Tobacco
pipe fragments, while making up only 6% of the artifacts recovered,
were the most significant finds of the month. One nearly complete pipe
bowl and several fragments were identical to stylistic pattern attributed
to the years 1690-1750. All stem hole diameters equaled those most attributable
to the years 1680-1710 (Noel Hume 1982). All pipe fragments have been
cleaned and dehydrated. Iron artifacts, not completely corroded, made
up a very small percentage of the artifacts, with only one cannon shot
and one spike recovered. Interestingly, the spike still had a small
piece of twine wrapped beneath the head, presumably to seal the nail
hole. Various interesting artifacts included one salt-glaze Rhenish
stoneware sherd, a gunflint, several bones (possibly chicken or similar
size animal), and a small wad of hair. Most items were completely embedded
in concretion, thus illustrating the importance of carefully breaking
apart all concretions with an air scribe.
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