Unraveling the secrets of the past . . .

- by Morgan Perkins IMAC Senior Staff Editor

Diver Steve Keene, a crew member onboard Mel Fisher's salvage vessel the Dauntless, recently made an incredible find: a silver ewer. To date their salvage crews have uncovered four ewers, commonly referred to as pitchers, from the Atocha wreck site. This particular discovery is amazing, the level of deterioration is practically naught and the ewer retains its original shape perfectly, even down to the delicate base. It was under about a foot of hard mud when Keene got a hit on his metal detector. Being packed so deeply in the ocean floor, the destructive elements weren’t able to reach it.

Traditionally the Spanish upper-class were noted for their ostentatious display of wealth. They often used ornate, decorative pieces made of gold and silver on a daily basis. This particular piece probably belonged to one of the first-class passengers or to a member of the church staying in the sterncastle portion of the ship. An artifact of this type would often be used in religious ceremonies, in which case we should find an ‘A’ or ‘V’ inscribed in the handle indicating whether the piece was used for water or wine (agua or vino).

The Salvors are extremely lucky to come across such a rare find. The cultural and historical value of this piece is priceless. Few examples of ancient metalwork survive on land due to the fact that most gold and silver of that period was melted down and re-forged in a more modern design or perhaps used as bullion. Often, shipwrecks are the only window into the past, preserving history at the exact moment when tragedy struck. Thus allowing archaeologists to decipher the tools, skills, and technologies utilized in the New World while it was still in its infant stage. The style and design of the piece can tell us where it came from, when it was created, and some insight into the social mores of that era. Objects created in colonial Spain were markedly different than those made at home. Since the most prolific silver mining took place in the New World, these artifacts are much heavier, using considerably more silver than a craftsman in Spain would have at his disposal. These artifacts also demonstrate the blending of Native American motifs with European wares; exhibiting the emergence of a new and definite culture.

What never fails to astound us is the level of precision and craftsmanship demonstrated so long ago. The silversmiths of that era reveal the spiritual rebirth of the artisan. The artifacts the commercial salvors are discovering truly are works of art. Currently the ewer is undergoing the conservation and preservation process, submerged in a water bath the electrodes attached to the ewer are slowly ionizing the corrosion that has taken place on the surface. In a matter of weeks we should see the ewer as it was over three hundred and fifty years ago. Who knows what information will emerge as the piece is restored to its true, natural beauty—the intricate detail of design, perhaps the artist’s signature. It’s obvious with the number and variety of artifacts the salvors continue to find that the ‘motherload’ of the Atocha was just the beginning, there remains an ocean full of treasure and history just waiting to be re-discovered.

Editor's note- We will keep our readers updated and bring you more pictures on the progress of the Ewer's conservation.