Iron and Steamship Archaeology - Success and Failure on the S/S `Xantho'

In the early 1980s the author was asked to investigate the newly discovered wreck of the Xantho, an iron screw steamship active off the Australian coast during the period 1848 to 1872, and to develop a strategy to stop the looting that was occurring at the site. This relatively straightforward assignment turned into a long-term research program for applying maritime archaeology to the conservation of iron-hulled wrecks.

List of contents

Xantho and Broadhurst in context.- Xantho-The transformations.- The wreck examined.- Site formation processes.- The investigation continues in the archives.- Excavations at the site.- Excavation in the laboratory.- Conclusion.

Summary

In the early 1980s the author was asked to investigate the newly discovered wreck of the Xantho, an iron screw steamship active off the Australian coast during the period 1848 to 1872, and to develop a strategy to stop the looting that was occurring at the site. This relatively straightforward assignment turned into a long-term research program for applying maritime archaeology to the conservation of iron-hulled wrecks.

Report

`McCarthy has done an outstanding job detailing an excavation form first notification to the last conservation stages. This might serve well as a text in maritime archaeology theory, maritime history, or conversation courses. All collections.'
Choice, 38:11 (2001)

Product details

• Authors: Michael McCarthy, Michael J Mccarthy, Michael J. McCarthy
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 26.06.2009
• EAN: 9780306463655
• ISBN: 978-0-306-46365-5
• No. of pages: 234
• Weight: 535 g
• Illustrations: XIV, 234 p.
• Series: The Springer Series in Underwater Archaeology; The Springer Series in Underwater Archaeology
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Antiquity; Non-fiction book > History > Pre and early history, antiquity