Topics Related to Cultural Resources (DCR)
On or about May 22, 1718, Blackbeard showed the world that he meant business, disrupting trade for a major colonial port and striking fear into the leadership of the colonies.
With 30 cannon, hundreds of cannonballs, and hundreds of thousands of pieces of lead shot so far recovered from Queen Anne’s Revenge it goes without saying that Blackbeard’s ship was well armed.
The most common material conservators encounter from the site of Queen Anne’s Revenge is lead.
What might dividers, trigger guards, nesting weights, an apothecary mortar, buttons, a powder scoop, and the inner workings of a pocket watch have in common?
On April 12, 1718, Blackbeard made a dramatic show of his ferocity and tenacity as he climbed the ranks of legendary pirates.
As a pirate, Blackbeard would have been very aware of his need to be well armed. It was all well and good to catch another ship, but if you couldn’t overpower them your career as a pirate would be short and unsuccessful. When it began its final voyage, La Concorde was armed with only 16 cannon; enough to mount a token defense with a healthy crew, but not a heavy armament by any measure. How then did Blackbeard use such a lightly armed ship? Simple: he added more guns.
Ceramics are some of the most abundant objects found on archaeological sites.
In March 1718, the HMS Phoenix arrived in New Providence carrying the King’s Pardon, and among the first to sign was none other than Blackbeard’s former commander Benjamin Hornigold. Hornigold arrived on the scene as a privateer before the island of New Providence became a pirate haven and attempted to continue his legitimacy as such by claiming to only attack French and Spanish ships, well after official privateering rights were revoked.