Artillery and Arms from the Mardi Gras Shipwreck

• Autores: Amy Borgens
• Localización: Historical Archaeology, ISSN 0440-9213, Vol. 51, Nº. 3, 2017, págs. 392-409
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Limited excavation and video examination of the Mardi Gras Shipwreck revealed that the vessel carried at least one cannon and a collection of arms and munitions at the time of its loss. A large portion of the recovered arms assemblage was contained within a large composite concretion believed to represent part of the magazine. This unique artifact, in addition to other evidence from the site, suggests this assemblage was not cargo, but intended for ship’s use. Viewed within the complex arena of naval affairs in the Gulf of Mexico, which included formal naval vessels, informally outfitted vessels of emerging navies, privateers, pirates, and defensively armed merchantman, the interpretation of this collection is not absolute, but suggestive of privateering. Study of this collection, and the few similar shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico, is building a framework for understanding such sites within the context of Gulf history.