STATE OF FLORIDA’S ARCHAEOLOGICAL GUIDELINES
The State of Florida Archaeological Guidelines specify the archaeological techniques to be used within the territorial limits of the State of Florida. These guidelines were attached to all year 2000 salvage contracts between Mel Fisher Center, Inc. and the State of Florida with the exception of the contract for the S-32 area. The title of these guidelines is "1985 Archaeological Guidelines……." . Included in this section is a copy of those guidelines. The guidelines attached to the S-32 contract were slightly different from all the rest so they are also attached. As previously noted, Mel Fisher Center, Inc. has requested the reforming of the Archaeological Guidelines Committee for the purpose of updating the guidelines to reflect advances in technology and archaeological techniques.
1985 ARCHAEOLOGICAL GUIDELINES
FOR
SHIPWRECK SITES OFF THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA
SALVAGED UNDER CONTRACT TO THE STATE
by COBB COIN COMPANY, INC.,
OR
SUBCONTRACTORS OF COBB COIN COMPANY, INC.
The following guidelines have been prepared in accordance with the Settlement Agreement of June 3, 1983 between the Florida Department of State and Treasure Salvors, Inc., and Cobb Coin Inc. They specify salvage methods and techniques which will guide collection of archaeological information of wreck sites covered in the above agreement. The purpose of these guidelines is to establish minimum recording standards in order that sound archaeological provenience information can be made available to the salvors, the State, and eventually the public. Generally, the Guidelines are concerned with recording location of excavation activities; provenience of recovered or recorded artifacts; mapping of wreck sites at broad and detailed scales, as appropriate; artifact tagging, handling, security and conservation; and diver safety.
1. Beach Marker Datums/Position Finding Stations
No wreck site will be salvaged until beach marker datums or position finder stations have been established and approved by the Division and Cobb. Cobb will establish position finder stations, and the Department of State, Division of Archives, History and Records Management will assist Cobb and its subcontractors in establishing beach marker datums.
2. Data records
Each boat must have on board one person certified by the Division as qualified to perform the following tasks.
a. Use a sextant to shoot angles to adjacent pairs of beach markers.
b. Plot the resulting readings on a base map.
c. Understand and use the UTM coordinates system to record and describe location
of the salvage boat and bottom features.
d. Understand and use an approved artifact tagging system which will allow identification and provenience of all recovered artifacts to be maintained.
e. Understand and use an approved logbook system which will provide an accurate record of boat location, salvage activities, artifacts recovered by tag number and location, and other useful information.
The Division and Cobb will conduct a workshop at the beginning of the salvage season to instruct crew members in these areas and will be further available throughout the season to instruct new recorders and assist in recording. At the conclusion of such instruction, the Division and Cobb will certify recorders who are able to maintain records in accordance with the guidelines.
3. Recording Blower Hole Locations and Contents and Other Large Bottom Features.
Locations of blower holes and other large bottom features will be determined by sextant or electronic position finding equipment. To ensure accuracy of recording blower hole locations sextant angles will be shot twice on the same hole, preferably by two different crew members from a standard location on each boat as near the blower as practical while the blower is in operation. Each salvage boat will have and use a sextant with an accuracy of at-least one minute of arc; Mark Seven or Davis Master are recommended but any sextant of equal or better quality may be used. Sextant readings and blower hole or feature identification will be recorded on log book forms supplied or approved by the Division. Locations will also be recorded on 1:1000 or 1:2000 scale base maps supplied or approved by the Division. Blower holes will be identified with a unique two letter abbreviation of the boat' s name followed by consecutive numbers for each hole beginning at the start of the season and concluding at the end of the season.
In the log, brief descriptions and tag number of all artifacts recovered will be recorded for each blower hole so that the tag number is sufficient to determine the provenience of any artifact. Representative and all unusual blower hole profiles will be recorded noting the general order and thickness of recognizable sediments and the location of artifacts, fossils, or other useful information. Profiles which indicate that an earlier blower hole is being reopened should be noted. When possible a more accurate location description for important artifacts should be recorded, for example, in which quarter of the blower hole and from what sediment. Finally any interpretations of stratification or association which might be useful in understanding the process of artifact scatter and deposition should be noted.
4. Large Non-Structural Artifacts
Large objects like cannon and anchors will be tagged, left in place on the bottom and their UTM location recorded so that they may serve as a mapping and location references in future work. If such large objects interfere with underwater metal detector survey they may be moved to another location on the site with the approval of the Division or Cobb providing the original and new locations are recorded and mapped. Cannon, anchors, wood structure and other large objects will not be removed from the site unless transfer, storage, and conservation facilities approved by the division and Cobb are available.
5. Structural Remains and Major Artifact Clusters
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