| What's Next for BWV and the Pearls? |
| |
|
June 18, 2007 -- R. Duncan Mathewson III, Ph.D., BWVKW Archaeological Director
|
It's well known that 99% of marine archaeology is done in the laboratory after the finds are made!
Well that's certainly the case with the gold, box of pearls, and many other artifacts brought in by
our Blue Water Ventures Key boat crew the other day from the Santa Margarita site.  Those who were
lucky enough to see the opening of the pearl box on the internet feed before it collapsed from too
many hits know full well what an exciting find it was. There was standing room only in the Mel
Fisher Treasures gift shop and outside the conservation laboratory as Jim Sinclair, archaeologist
and John Corcoran, conservator, carefully excavated the silt from the lead box to reveal thousands
of white and black pearls of various sizes and shapes.
Well, what do we do now? You guessed it. The count has begun with tweezers and a magnifying glass! This begins the long and careful study and sorting of the pearls, the gold, and all the other artifacts recovered including the Majolica ware, olive jar necks, an adze, two shears, a bottom of a glass gin bottle, iron spikes, barrel hoops, ballast and many different shapes and sizes of E.O.'s (encrusted objects). This assemblage clearly demonstrates archaeologically that we are on the trail of scattered artifacts documenting the break up of the galleon during the first hurricane.
Preliminary research on the pearls clearly suggests that this assemblage of 1622 pearls is one of the biggest and best preserved collections of its type ever before found together in such good condition on a historic shipwreck. No doubt the silt inside the lead box all contributed to their excellent preservation. Its historical and archaeological significance is only just beginning to emerge. Many months of research and expert analysis will be necessary before we extract all the information we can from this assemblage.
 But the pearls are already beginning to come into focus with some preliminary enquiries with specialists who have been working with pearls for years at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). It is clear that this pearl assemblage is from the Isle of Margarita off the Venezuelan coast. History tells us that ever since Columbus's discovery of the Americas, pearls from the Isle of Margarita were one of the most sought after Spanish riches of the New World. And the documented research of the 1622 fleet disaster by Dr. Lyon also tells us that at least one merchant vessel of the 1622 Flotilla made a special visit to the Isle of Margarita to collect pearls from the Indian pearl divers who regularly supplied the treasure ships with the much sought after luxury commodity. they free dived up from 100 feet. The historical facts very clearly jives with the archaeological evidence from the sea bed establishing beyond any doubts that these pearls from the break up of the Santa Margarita must be originally from the pearl divers of the Isle of Margarita within a contextual date of no later than 1622.
There are very few natural Atlantic pearls of the species we have to compare ours against. Research is now under way to find comparable pearls in the published literature and in the leading museums around the world. Black pearls, the size of some in our collection, are particularly rare. Cultured pearls artificially made today are not anywhere as large as some in the Margarita collection. Some of the pearls are much bigger and well preserved than most experts have ever seen. Modern South Pacific and Tahitian pearls can reach some 13 mm in diameter. The biggest Margarita pearl measures about 22 mm in diameter.
Determining the value of individual pearls and the over all collection will have to wait for expert analysis. The GIA has been contacted in their New York laboratory to assist in the sorting and grading. Once this is done expert appraisers will be asked to evaluate the assemblage. A number of factors are involved with this appraisal: color, size, luster, shape, texture all have to be considered. GIA has a three tier grading system for pearls consisting of A+, AA+, and AAA+ depending upon the consideration of all these characteristics. So a lot is involved before we really understand what this Margarita pearl assemblage is telling us about life and maritime trade in the early 17th century and how much the pearls are worth in both monetary and historical values.
As this entire artifact analysis goes on in the Mel Fisher conservation laboratory. Keith Webb and I are busily getting the Blue Water Rose crew ready to return to the site tomorrow to pick up where we left off with all the excitement of this terrific find. New and bigger anchors have been brought and are going out to better assist the rigors of anchoring in shallow sand of only about 2 feet deep. Greg Bounds and his Blue Water Ventures Key West crew are looking forward to continuing their excavation in the artifact scatter pattern which we know will lead to even more spectacular finds in the future.
|
| See the official press release, additional photos, and video replay of the box opening here. |
|
|
| |
|