La Belle: The Archaeology of a Seventeenth-Century Vessel of New World Colonization

916 Pages·2017·145.084 MB·English

by  James E. Bruseth, Amy A. Borgens, Bradford M. Jones, Eric D. Ray

Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series
La Belle
Publication of this book was generously supported by the
Texas Historical Commission and the Friends of the Texas
Historical Commission.

La Belle
The Archaeology of a Seventeenth-C entury Ship
of New World Colonization
edited by
james e. bruseth
amy a. borgens
bradford m. jones
and eric d. ray
foreword by
patricia a. mercado-allinger
Texas A&M University Press
college station
Copyright © 2016
by Texas Historical Commission
All rights reserved
first edition
This paper meets the requirements of
ansi/niso z39.48- 1992
(Permanence of Paper).
Binding materials
have been chosen for durability.
Manufactured in China by
Everbest Printing Co.
through FCI Print Group
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Library of Congress
Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Bruseth, James E., editor. | Borgens, Amy, editor. |
Jones, Bradford M., editor. | Ray, Eric D., editor.
Title: La Belle : the archaeology of a seventeenth-century ship of
New World colonization / edited by James E. Bruseth, Amy A.
Borgens, Bradford M. Jones, and Eric D. Ray.
Other titles: Ed Rachal Foundation nautical archaeology series.
Description: First edition. | College Station : Texas A&M University
Press, [2017] | Series: Ed Rachal Foundation nautical archaeology
series | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifi ers: lccn 2016039263| isbn 9781623493615 (hardcover
(printed case) : alk. paper) | isbn 9781623493622 (e-book)
Subjects: lcsh: La Salle, Robert Cavelier, sieur de, 1643–1687. |
La Belle (Frigate) | Shipwrecks—Texas—Matagorda Bay. |
Underwater archaeology—Texas—Matagorda Bay. | Excavations
(Archaeology)—Texas—Matagorda Bay. | Matagorda Bay (Tex.)—
Antiquities. | Texas—Discovery and exploration—French.
Classifi cation: lcc f392.m4 l23 2017 | ddc 917.64/13204—dc23
lc record available at htt ps://lccn.loc.gov/2016039263
Dedicated to
john l. nau iii,
Chair of the Texas Historical
Commision, the late
curtis d. tunnell,
former executive director
of the Texas Historical
Commission, for their support
and inspiration during the
excavation, conservation, and
exhibition of La Belle.

Contents
Foreword, by Patricia A. Mercado- Allinger / ix 16. Firepots / 392
Preface / xi eric d. ray and julia stryker
Acknowledgments / xiii
17. Small Arms / 411
amy a. borgens and jay c. blaine
PART I:
18. Gunfl ints / 446
INTRODUCTION / 1
jeffrey j. durst
1. Background / 3
19. Iron and Lead Shot / 459
james e. bruseth
donald h. keith
2. Archival Research / 26
20. Swords / 480
john de bry
jeffrey j. kampfl
3. Excavation inside a Coff erdam / 45
21. Polearms / 499
layne hedrick, amy mitchell-c ook,
donald h. keith
and james e. bruseth
4. Conservation / 60
PART IV:
donny l. hamilton, helen dewolf, TRADE GOODS / 507
and peter d. fix
22. Glass Beads / 509
timothy k. perttula and
PART II:
michael d. glascock
SHIP DESIGN, ORGANIZATION, AND
HARDWARE /81 23. Iconographic (“Jesuit”) and Other Rings / 531
robert a. birmingham and
5. Hull Analysis / 83
carol i. mason
toni l. carrell
6. Capturing the Curve: Underlying Concepts in 24. Flushloop Variety Brass Trade Bells / 542
john m. connaway
the Design of the Hull / 131
taras pevny 25. Straight Pins / 551
bradford m. jones
7. Rigging / 203
catharine inbody corder 26. Needles / 567
bradford m. jones
8. Cordage / 239
jennifer r. mccaskill 27. Trade Axes and Knives / 578
mark feulner
9. Modeling the Vessel / 255
glenn grieco
PART V:
10. Galley and Shipboard Diet / 280
DOMESTIC ITEMS / 597
eric d. ray
28. Ceramic Containers / 599
11. Stowage and Packing Containers / 291 kathleen k. gilmore and
brad loewen
nancy g. reese
12. Navigational and Related Instruments / 332 29. Glass Bott les, Associated Pewter Screw
gregory d. cook and lois a. swanick Cap Closures, and Other Non-B ead Glass
Artifacts / 618
PART III:
maureen j. brown, nancy g. reese, and
ARMS / 351
betty j. inman
13. Artillery / 353
30. Contents of Packing Box 10 / 636
donald h. keith
michael c. west
14. Cannon Carriage / 373
31. Domestic Artifacts / 660
steven d. hoyt
gregory a. waselkov, bonnie l. gums,
15. Petards / 385 and helen dewolf
donald h. keith and eric d. ray
32. Footwear Assemblage / 719 39. Organic Contents from Storage Containers / 797
anthony randolph david w. von endt, w. david erhardt,
walter r. hopwood, and
PART VI: harry a. alden
ORGANIC REMAINS AND SPECIALIZED
ANALYSES / 731 PART VII:
CONCLUSION / 803
33. Human Skeletal Analysis / 733
d. gentry steele and michelle j. raisor 40. The Archaeology of a Seventeenth-C entury Ship
of New World Colonization / 805
34. Facial Reconstruction and DNA Analysis of
Skeletal Remains / 744 james e. bruseth, bradford m. jones,
c. wayne smith, ellen m. heath, amy a. borgens, and eric d. ray
d. andrew merriwether, and david reed Appendix 1. Ballast Stone / 830
james e. bruseth
35. Faunal Remains / 749
susan d. defrance Appendix 2. The Anchor Shank / 834
amy a. borgens and aaron loy
36. Plant Remains / 763
philip dering
Bibliography / 841
37. Textiles / 781
Index / 873
carolyn c. carlson
38. Pigments / 788
megan mekoli, eric d. ray, and cameron
sheya
viii Contents
Foreword
In late July of 1995, three words—“We found it!”—resounded repeatedly in the of-
fi ces of the Texas Historical Commission (thc). The excitement derived from the fact
that the hunt for the wreck of La Belle had fi nally resulted in a positive identifi cation.
The ship was one of the vessels damaged and lost to a winter storm in 1686 during
the expedition led by Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.
The search for La Belle was initiated by the thc in the 1970s, but it was not un-
til decades later that divers, under the direction of then- State Marine Archeologist
J. Barto Arnold, III, investigated the location of a magnetic anomaly in Matagorda
Bay and were able to confi rm the presence of a wrecked ship’s hull containing his-
toric artifacts of European origin. A short time later a cannon was recovered and
found to be decorated with a French crest that provided—at last!—unequivocal
proof that the ill- fated La Belle had been found.
Historians have long been aware of two ships lost during La Salle’s venture to the
New World in 1685, including fi rsthand accounts and maps generated by expedition
members, followed by observations and records made by the Spanish soldiers who
were tasked with the job of locating the French sett lement. Archives in Europe pro-
vided twentieth- century researchers with important indications about the location
of La Belle. These clues, coupled with advances in magnetometry, were what fi nally
led to the successful identifi cation of the sunken remains of the historic wreck.
This was a colossal discovery worthy of celebration, and it garnered att ention
from the media, elected offi cials, educators, historians, maritime archaeologists,
local residents, and others across the globe. Here was an unparalleled opportunity
to study the material remains of a pivotal chapter in Texas history. Without a doubt,
archaeological investigations of La Salle’s ship were warranted, but how extensively
should the wreck be excavated? The perpetually murky waters of Matagorda Bay pre-
sented additional issues that had to be addressed. And, could the vessel be preserved
and protected? Ultimately, the thc committ ed to a full- scale excavation of La Belle in
order to safeguard against damage from both natural forces and treasure hunters.
Excavation of La Belle was the most complicated and challenging archaeological
endeavor that the agency had ever undertaken. It involved the construction of a
coff er dam to conduct an unprecedented dry excavation of a shipwreck in Matagorda
Bay, under the direction of Dr. James Bruseth, then- thc Archeology Division Direc-
tor. Bruseth assembled an exceptional team and partners to recover the wreck and its
cargo; conserve the ship’s hull and the associated waterlogged, rusted, and concreted
objects; and to research, analyze, and report on a range of artifacts and features
of the vessel’s construction and rigging. As noted by James E. Bruseth and Toni S.
Turner in From a Watery Grave: The Discovery and Excavation of La Salle’s Shipwreck, La Belle,
the popular summary of the project, the volume of materials that were recovered
was daunting. To embark on a project of this enormity was a serious and long- term
commitment of resources.
The current technical publication represents the fruits of labor of many individ-
uals who helped to bring the project to a successful conclusion. Researchers have
toiled to present the latest research about how the La Salle expedition att empted
to sett le the northern Gulf of Mexico, in so doing forcing the Spanish crown to
strengthen its claim to this part of the New World. By reporting in detail on the char-
acteristics of the vessel’s construction, rigging, and contents; colony supplies, in-
cluding weapons, equipment, and trade goods; faunal and plant remains and other
materials, the authors have produced an important and key reference for students
of Texas and world history, French Colonial archaeology, and seventeenth- century
maritime resources.
ix