THE GHOST SHIP. Current state of research and project plan for maritime.pdf

04/11/2008

Johan Rönnby

University College of Södertörn

Preliminary version

THE GHOST SHIP. Current state of research and project plan for maritime

archaeological exploration, Nov. 2008.

Background

In the middle of the Baltic Sea, 30 nautical miles East of the island of Gotska sandön,

an exceptionally well preserved wooden ship wreck is standing on the bottom at a

depth of 125 meters. The hull is intact and judging from the type of ship and its

decorations a preliminary dating would place it in the first half of the 17th century.

The ship was discovered in 2003 by Deep Sea Productions and MMTAB/Marin

Mätteknik during their search for the Swedish DC-3 airplane lost in 1952. During the

recording of a TV series, ”The Wreck Divers”, in 2007, the ship was surveyed using a

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The analysis below is based on this

documentation. In 2008 an international research group (see below) was formed in

cooperation between the University of College of Södertörn and the discoverers with

the aim of further researching and analysing the wreck.

Hull

The ship is estimated to be 25 metres long with a maximum width of about 8 metres.

The stern is 6.5 metres over the bottom at its highest point. These measurements have

been obtained using side scan sonar imagery and can therefore be said to have a small

margin of error. The hull sides are concave. This so called ”tumble-home” was typical

for Dutch fluits , but how significant this feature is cannot be established with the

available documentation. The hull is curved lengthwise with the stern standing about

twice as high as the midship deck.

The ship is built in carvel technique with three wales. Just aft of the midsection there

is a chain wale for shrouds and in the hull side there are some small scuppers. The

railing lowers in front of the position of the main mast over the forward deck. Above

the railing some supporters can be seen as well as two kevels on either side. These are

placed just aft of the positions of the fore-mast and the main-mast.

Bow

The bow is blunt without a beak head, There are no marks indicating that there has

been a beak head attached. In front of the bow, lying on the bottom, there is a small

figure of a bearded man (?), which may have been placed on the bow. Near the top of

the stem there are remnants of something that was possibly used to attach this figure.

Near the chest of this figure there is a decoration that could be a large rose.

The bowsprit is in place, lying on the starboard side of the bow. At the front of the

bowsprit there are two timbers fitted vertically. The ship has double hawse holes on

the starboard and port sides. They seem to lack decorations, but the scuppers are

reinforced on the outside by a horizontal L-formed timber and a small timber between

the holes. Both the cat heads are in place and between them a slightly curved timber

that is probably part of a small balustrade, which was also used as a belaying rail or

pin rack. The deck planks on the foredeck are partly intact. The foredeck ends level

with a sturdy crossbeam about five metres behind the bow.

Stern

The stern is round with a counter on top. The counter has fallen off and there is reason

to believe that the hull sides have been bent somewhat outwards in the process. Inside

the place of the counter, you can see the floor of the cabin situated furthest aft.

Under this floor there is a small opening (Dutch: hennegat ) where the tiller meets the

steering stand. Under this small opening you can see two small apertures on either

side of the sternpost as well as two somewhat larger windows further forward on the

starboard and port sides. These apertures are all surrounded by carvings in the shape

of flowers and may be cabin windows. Alternatively the two closest to the sternpost

are just hawse holes. Slightly below, on the starboard side, there is another square

opening and further below a nailed down hatch. These openings are most likely for

loading, the upper one for planks and the closed one for ballast.

The rudder is on the port side of the sternpost and there are clear traces of the pintle

and gudgeon assemblies. It appears that the rudder was partly lifted when the ship hit

bottom, which explains its present position.

Rig

The ship has three masts with the main mast placed at the centre of the ship, a fore

mast close to the bow and a smaller mizzen mast. The fore and main masts are still

standing, while the mizzen mast has fallen over. This is presumably because it was not

stepped as deeply in the hull as the others. Outside of the ship on the starboard side

there is a long timber, which is most likely the mizzen mast. Adjacent to this timber

there are traces of a fighting top as well as a flag button. At the top of both masts that

are standing there are trestletrees. These probably held top masts that are now lying

on the port side of the ship. Across the poop there is also a long timber that could be

the spar of the main-mast or another top mast.

On deck, particularly on the port side, near the loading hatches, there are many parts

of the rig, including blocks and deadeyes. The loose sediments in this area probably

contain remnants of the sails.

Decorations

The ”beak head” below the bow has already been mentioned. Around the area where

the tiller enters the hull there is some flower ornamentation. The top of the rudder is

decorated with three flowers arranged in triangular form. This motif is traditionally

Dutch (alternatively three vats or a clover leaf) and has been in use until modern

times. A so-called buss painted by van de Velde in 1650 has an almost identical

decoration.

Two figures are lying below the stern. They were most likely placed on either side of

the sternpost. A preliminary analysis indicates that they are male figures clad in

clothing of the time with plumed hats.

Near the stern on the starboard side there is also a large piece of wood with flower

decorations that was probably part of the counter.

The decorations on the ship are impressive but not extraordianary for the period. It is

more correct to say that it is charactertistic of that day. Compared to the decorations

on war ships from this era, they are more on the discrete side.

Details

There are three hatches in the partly very well preserved main deck, two before the

main-mast and a smaller one further aft. The one in the middle is the main loading

hatch, normally 7 x 7 ft, large enough to take on water barrels (per com Ab Hoving

’08).

Directly aft of the main-mast there are three knights with sculptures of moustachioed

male faces. Two of the knights are connected by a belaying rack. Some pins are still in

place. One more knight is at the back of the foredeck. This knight has a block fastened

to it.

Aft of this knight there is a windlass. It has pawls made out of wood with holes at the

tips for shafts that were used to pull it around.

A stock anchor is hanging on the port side just behind the bow. The stock is wooden,

the arms are V-shaped and the flukes triangular (similar to those on the Vasa).

Opposite, on the starboard side, there is an identical anchor. A third anchor is lying

under the starboard cat head outside the ship.

In front of the poop deck there is a pump made of a drilled out timber. Directly on the

starboard side there is a circular hole which is either the hole for the mizzen mast or

the remnants of a second pump.

Age and ship type

The ship is undoubtedly an example of Dutch ship building. Judging from its exterior

and the equipment on board and comparing with pictures from the time it can be dated

to the middle of the 17th century (see Noons, van de Velde et al). A ship model at the

Naval Museum in Amsterdam, dated cirka 1650, is also reminiscent of the wreck. The

knights (compared with Vasa) may indicate that the ship was built a few decades

earlier. With our knowledge at present a dating in the period 1630-50 seems

reasonable.

The most common denomination of Dutch long distance trading ships of this period

was fluit . A small fluit was often called a bootjen . In Holland there are a number of

different names for these ships depending on how they were classified in terms of size

and function (for example kat ship or buss ). Their basic construction was, however,

one and the same.

The Ghost Ship is definitely built in the fluit tradition. It is, however, too early to say

how it was registered at the time. The fact that it is built in the Dutch tradition is also

no guarantee that it was owned and sailed by Dutchmen. Dutch shipyards regularly

built ships for buyers from other nations.

Potential for research and analysis

The Ghost Ship is a unique marine archaeological find, which in terms of the state of

preservation probably has no equal in the world.

 The ship can generally be seen as a starting point for describing the history

behind the success of the Dutch economy in the 17th century and the driving

forces behind it. This includes the introduction of a global economy with the

East India trade and the establishment of trading posts in the New World.

 From a theoretical perspective the wreck is also a part of processes in the pre-

industrial development of capitalism. A discussion in this field will touch on

the importance of technology as a driving force in history and also the role and

the significance of reformist morals in this connection.

 Because of the great scope and special importance of the Baltic trade for the

Dutch, these trading ships were a vital part of the economic and political

structures during this period of Baltic Sea history. Upwards of two thousand

trading ships would sail into the Baltic each year. Salt and manufactured goods

were brought to the North, raw materials such as iron, chalk and timber were

carried from the coasts of the Baltic to Amsterdam and the Netherlands.

 From a purely marine archaelogical perspective, the wreck will give us a

chance to study the construction of a type of ship that we so far know only

from pictures, written sources and significantly less intact wrecks. Dutch

shipbuilding led the world in the 17th century. Timber was imported from all

of northern Europe and ships were made to order for Swedish shipping

companies among others. The design became world leading not just by virtue

of shipbuilding traditions, but also through innovative practices both in the

technology and the production methods. Even though the Dutch had to rely on

windmills for power, the shipping industry became a forerunner of 19th

century industrialisation.

 By studying structures and dimensions in detail and comparing this with

written sources the question of the denomination of this ship should be

resolved. If a more exact dating of the sinking of the ship can be obtained

though dendrochronological analysis of wood from structural elements or

contents, there is a better chance of identifying from written sources the ship

itself, its name, its provinence, etc. It would make it possible to compare and

contrast archaeological and written sources.

 A comparison of the relatively discrete decorations of the wreck with motif

and design on war ships of the time is another interesting task. The flower

ornamentation and the reason for the renewed popularity of plant related

decorations during this period is yet another area of study. An analysis of the

ornamentation and a interpretational discussion in this connection would also

relate to general ideological aspects of the successful, yet strongly reformist

christian Dutch tradesmen. The Dutch historian Simon Shama has dubbed

their attitude as one of an ”embarrassment of richness”.

 The ship also gives us a unique chance to study the distribution of space and

the interior organization of a 17th century ship. It would give an insight into

the general conditions of the seamen, but it is also an archaeological study of

mentality. It is a way of entering into the lives of these people and ”to be in the

same room as 17th century humans”. An aspect of their strict religious morals

was that they would often in different ways remind themselves of the

fickleness of luck and prosperity. Stories of sudden disaster, shipwrecks and

sea ghosts were probably recounted regularly in the galley at night.

 A chemical analysis can be made of the state of deterioration of the wood in

this specific under water environment. The Ghost Ship can be seen as an

interesting comparison to other wrecks, not least the Vasa.

Marine archaeologial research planned for November 2008.

A first stage of marine archaeological research will be performed on the wreck in

November 2008. The work will be conducted with a Remotely Operated Vehicle

(ROV) equipped with cameras, light and a robot arm with a manipulator. Work is

expected to include the following elements:

1. Establishing a more exact site plan of the shipwreck with exact measurements.

Making a photo mosaic study. Improving the existing side-view drawing of the

ship.

2. Documentation of a selection of special details, including the rudder, wales for

the shrouds, the counter, some decorations.

3. Initiating the study of the interior with the help of a small ROV equipped with

a video camera.

4. Sampling wood for dendrochronological and preservation analysis. For the

dendrochronological analysis the priority is for timber with the outermost year

rings preserved (cargo or fire wood). The samples will, however, be taken only

from items lying loose, which restricts the choice

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