act January 2012 Volume 2, Issue 4 Quarterly Reporter
Things You Need “Helping to preserve and protect South Carolina’s maritime heritage through to Know: research, education, and public outreach.” st • 2011 Quarter 4 Reports Due by 1 SDAMP Oyster Roast Success! January 10, 2012 By SDAMP • Welcome Intern Here at SDAMP, we are Marine Resource Center thanks to all of our Mike Slot! always trying to come in Charleston. We sponsors for supplying up with ways to could not have asked the silent auction items • New Chief Curator encourage our divers to for more perfect and to all of our oyster of Natural History actively participate in weather for our outdoor roast attendees who at SC State Museum preserving the cultural event. Forty-five people generously bid on heritage of South gathered near the them. We were able to • Please Report Carolina. If there is beach of stunning raise around $1000 to Online! one thing we know Charleston Harbor to go toward our about our divers, it’s enjoy amazing oysters education and outreach Articles: that they love to eat and purlow, laughs, initiatives! We cannot
Oyster Roast 1 and have a good time! and share in the rich thank all of you enough What better way for us history of our State. for attending and January Reports 2 to meet divers, share Guests also had helping to preserve SC the importance of the opportunity to maritime heritage. Lecture Series 2 maritime heritage, and participate in a silent We also want to eat lots of food than a auction with lots of thank Dixieland Upcoming Events 3 good ole’ fashioned great prizes. Prizes Delights for catering. oyster roast! included H.L. Hunley The oysters were some SDAMP News 3 On the evening tours, Charleston of the best we have ever Wing Nights 4 of November 19, 2011, Harbor cruises, dive eaten! SDAMP threw our very shop vouchers, t-shirts, Since the event Artifact Workshop 4 first Maritime Heritage and much more! We was such a success and Awareness Oyster would like to extend so much fun, we are Connection Section 5 Roast at Fort Johnson our most sincere hoping to make it a yearly event. We hope Hobby Diver you will consider of the Quarter 5 joining us next year! Features 6-9 If you would like to see some photos of Conservation the event, check out Corner 10 our Facebook page.
Cannonball: Part IV 11
**NEWbies** 12-13 2011 SDAMP Maritime Heritage Awareness Notes from Editor 14 Oyster Roast
Quarterly Reporter Page 2 of 14
January Quarterly Reports
This is a reminder that found on our website should be sent to: your 4th quarter 2011 at: Chief Curator of reports are due by Natural History www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa/ January 10, 2012. 301 Gervais St. mrd/sdamp_hdl_forms. These reports should Columbia, SC 29201 html cover all of the collecting you have Please use the newest Make sure that you file done between October versions of the forms. reports with both Quarterly Reports due 1st and December 31st We will no longer be agencies even if you by October 10, 2011 of 2011. accepting outdated have not done any versions. collecting. Just tick the Please file your artifact box that reads “No reports using our new Your artifact reports Recoveries Made This online system. should be filed online Quarter” and send it to or may be sent to: You can submit forms the appropriate agency. online at: Artifact Report Forms If you have any http://src6.cas.sc.edu/ PO Box 12448 questions regarding sdamp Charleston, SC 29422 reports, please visit our (Note: If this is the first time website at: you are filing on this system, You may also fax forms you will need to create a new to: (843) 762-5831 www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa/ mrd/sdamp_hdl_forms. password by clicking the link Email forms to us at: html below the sign-in boxes). [email protected]
Or give us a call at: All report forms can be Your fossil report forms (843) 762-6105.
Maritime Archaeology Lecture Series
In October 2011, “Artifacts Found SCIAA). SDAMP teamed up Aboard the H.L. We thought the with the Charleston Hunley Submarine: lecture series was a County Library to host Conservation and great success and had a Maritime Analysis,” by Johanna a blast listening to all Archaeology Lecture Rivera (Conservator, of the lecturers. On Series in honor of HL Hunley Project, average, 25 people Archaeology Month. Warren Lasch attended each lecture. Each week a lecturer Conservator Center, Due to its popularity, would present on a Clemson) we hope to host different topic in “Pulses and Pings: The another lecture series maritime archaeology. Heartbeat of Remote in 2012. If you would The lectures included: Sensing in like to present or know “The Day the Johnboat Archaeology,” by Dr. of a potential Went Up the Scott Harris (Geology, presenter, please Mountain: Stories College of Charleston) contact us at From My Twenty Years “The Archaeology of [email protected]. in South Carolina Civil War Naval Archaeology,” by Carl Operations at Naylor (Author, Charleston Harbor, 2011 October SDAMP, SCIAA, 1861-1865,” by Jim University of South Spirek (Maritime Lecture Series Carolina) Research Division,
Page 3 of 14 Quarterly Reporter Upcoming Events
SHA Conference Wateree Dive Center for Allendale Project year. This means we Ashley Deming will be our February Wing As many of you know, would like to do more representing SDAMP at Night. As it is a Leap we offer a volunteer diving and interacting the 2012 Society for Year, we are co-hosting opportunity in May with you one-on-one! Historical Archaeology a very special Wing working with some of We would like you to Conference in Night that doesn’t come the world’s top experts contact us about sites Baltimore, MD. She around very often! This in paleoamerican you have found or will be presenting two February 29th, join archaeology. For two artifact collections we papers on the Sport Wateree Dive Center, weeks, we work the could come look at. If Diver Program at its SDAMP, and the South underwater component you are interested or success to hundreds of Carolina State Museum of one of the oldest know of someone who archaeologists from Chief Curator of known Native American might be, give us a call around the world. The Natural History for the sites in the country. or email us so we can conference runs from biggest Wing Night yet! This year, we will be arrange a time to meet. January 4-8, 2012. See details on page 4. accepting 6-8 We look forward to volunteers per week for hearing from you! January Wing Night Artifact Workshop this project. More The next SDAMP Wing The next Artifact information will be sent There will be many more Night will be held on Identification Workshop via email closer to the events throughout the January 25, 2012. will be held in project date. Don’t year. Please continue to Wing Night will be in Charleston on March miss this incredible read the Quarterly Mt. Pleasant at Wild 24, 2012. If you are opportunity! Reporter, emails, and our Wing Café. interested in signing up website for information for the workshop, SDAMP Wants You! about upcoming events February Wing Night please read the article We are planning to be and volunteering We are very excited to on page 4 or contact more involved with opportunities. be partnering with our office. divers over the coming
SDAMP News It is important to us Archaeology Month. Ashley River. Aquarium. that our Hobby Divers Details on page 2. ▪Ashley Deming and ▪The SDAMP office are aware of the ▪SDAMP’s monthly Chris Amer attended a closed for the holiday education and outreach Wing Night was held on meeting with DNR and season December 19th - th nd we do throughout the the 27 . See page 4 for Santee Cooper to January 2 . year. We hope to keep information on discuss the low water you updated on all that upcoming Wing Nights. levels in the lakes. Upcoming… we are involved in so ▪SDAMP and volunteers ▪SDAMP hosted our January that you too will get The Lee Family first oyster roast. There ▪Ashley Deming will involved. attended Fall Field Day were forty-five people in attend the SHA at Lynches River attendance. See page 1 Conference in Remember that SDAMP County Park near for article. Baltimore. is on Facebook! Leave Florence, SC. This December ▪Wing Night on January a message on our wall! event is hosted yearly ▪Ashley Deming and 25th from 6:30-9:00pm. by the Archaeology Mike Slot worked on February October Society of South the cannonball ▪Wing Night in ▪Ashley Deming went Carolina. conservation on Columbia February th th Hobby Diving with Ted November December 13 . See 29 . See page 4 for Churchill and Jay ▪On November 2 and page 11 for article. details. Hubbell. Read her 30, Ashley Deming and ▪The Maritime Research March story page 6. SDAMP intern Mike Division (which ▪Artifact Workshop ▪The Maritime Slot joined hobby divers includes SDAMP) March 24, 2012. See Archaeology Lecture Doug Boehme and attended the 2011 Dive page 4 for details. Series was held each George Pledger to Safety and Control Wednesday night in conduct some side-scan Board Meeting at the October in honor of sonar surveys of the South Carolina
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SDAMP Wing Nights
We are thrilled that so We hope you will join us Columbia. SDAMP will one of our Wing Nights. many of you have taken and kick-off the New be there to help identify Feel free to bring finds, the opportunity to meet Year right. artifacts and issue family, and friends! us and connect with If coming to licenses. New Chief other divers at our Charleston is a bit too Curator of Natural SDAMP Wing Nights. far for you, maybe you History for the SC State We had to will consider coming to Museum, Dave postpone our Wing our February Wing Cicimurri will be there Nights for the months of Night in Columbia. to help identify your November and That’s right, for the first fossil finds. December due to other time ever, we will be co- If you are major events and of hosting a Wing Night in planning on attending course, the holiday Cola with Wateree Diver our Leap Year Wing season. We will be Center! Night in Columbia, staring our monthly This event is so please email us at Wing Nights back up in special, we are holding [email protected] to let us full force in January. it on the February 29th know (we want to be The January Wing Night (that day only comes able to do this again will be on Wednesday around every 4 years)! and don’t want to th the 25 from 6:30- Wing Night will start at overwhelm the staff). 9:00pm at Wild Wing 6:30pm at Carolina We hope you will Café in My Pleasant. Wings and Rib House in be able to make it to
Artifact Identification Workshop SDAMP is offering our opportunity to work [email protected] or call first Artifact with real archaeological us at 843-762-6105 to Identification Workshop material. Please note reserve your spot or for of 2012 this March. that we will not be information on this The workshop consists covering any workshop. Workshop of a mixture of lectures paleontological material fees may be paid using and hands-on activities (fossils: i.e. shark teeth the following methods: designed to help you and bone). The details cash, check, or money identify some of the about the workshop are order. Before you can types of artifacts you below. be on the official list, collect from South payment must be Carolina waters. We SDAMP Artifact received. The deadline hope to help you better Identification for fees is March 12, understand and identify Workshop 2012. artifacts so that you can Date: March 24, 2012 love your collection even Time: 9am-5pm This is always a fun day more and report your Location: Charleston, and you will learn a lot. finds more accurately to SC We look forward to us. Cost: $30 (make checks having you join us! Historic and payable to USC) prehistoric ceramics, bottles, Native American There are only 15 places Artifact stone tools, and much available for this Identification more will be covered. workshop. Workshop You will get the Email us at
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Connection Section Have you been show you the ropes? wanted another way for ** No New Entries ** searching for a dive Perhaps you just want divers to connect to one buddy that shares to meet some divers in another. In this If you are interested in similar diving interests your area who are ready section, we will feature meeting a dive buddy, with you in South to hop in the water the contact info and a email a brief profile and Carolina? Maybe you when you are. Look no short profile of an your contact info to: are from out of state further! Connection individual or a group [email protected] and were hoping you Section is the stop for that are looking for dive could partner up with you! This is a brand buddies. Maybe you someone in South new section in our will meet your diving Carolina who could newsletter. SDAMP soul mate!
Hobby Diver of the Quarter This section of the of these noteworthy George and Doug have newsletter is devoted to traits. Hopefully, it will been diving SC waters the hobby diver(s) who be you! If you know of for…well…ever. They go above and beyond someone who fits some have always been strong the call of duty. He/she or all of these categories supporters of our has submitted excellent and would like to program and have reports, been an nominate them, please actively volunteered exceptional volunteer, send us a brief email of with us since the has gone out of their who and why you think program began. George way to preserve cultural they should be Hobby and Doug continue to and/or natural heritage Diver of the Quarter. conduct archaeological in the state, or has been The honor of surveys on their own a general inspiration to Hobby Diver of the and readily share their other licensees, the Quarter for Quarter 4 info with us. public, or us. 2011 goes to dive Thank you, George and Dive buddies George Pledger Each quarter we buddies George Pledger Doug! You are truly an and Doug Boehme will pick a licensee that (#218) and Doug inspiration to us all! resembles one or more Boehme (#3042).
Feature Hobby Diver Article Each quarter we would Carolina’s past. Feel is accepted, we will love to feature one or free to include images contact you to let you two articles by you, the that can be used with know. hobby diver. Your your article. We want to hear article can be about an You should from you, so get artifact or fossil you submit your articles to writing! Submit your found, your collection, SDAMP for review and articles to: your research, your editing. Once we have [email protected] experience with the approved your article, program, a humorous we will do our best to diving anecdote, or just get it into the next something interesting issue of the Quarterly that relates to South Reporter. If your article This could be you!
Quarterly Reporter Page 6 of 14 Springing Into Archaeology
By Charlie Wonderlic, Hobby Diver #5072
With the Wando River’s rapidly across the gravel proceed with cleaning temperatures dropping and oyster debris and identification of the below 60 degrees and covered bottom to jug, I decided to contact visibility improving maximize the amount of SDAMP for some help. I daily, I set out for my area that I could cover sent an email with first cold water dive of before having to battle attached photos of my the season on November the incoming tide. find to SDAMP to get 6, 2011. The conditions Spotting teeth in this their advice. The could not have been cover takes a SDAMP crew told me better. Clear sunny considerable amount of that it looked like a skies, warm air concentration and focus German salt-glazed temperature and slack so I almost disregarded stoneware beer/wine Nassau Selters low tide. I geared up the crustacean-covered jug that probably dated Company emblem th and entered the water cylinder that ended up to the 19 century, but at one of my favorite really making my day. they would have to see manufactured, cleaned, diving spots near Cat Curious, but the markings after it filled, corked to Island. I began hunting suspicious that it was was cleaned to maintain carbonation, to a maximum depth of simply modern garbage; determine more. They crated, loaded onto approximately fifteen I lifted the object and suggested that I soak horse-drawn wagons and transported to the fee t. Within thirty immediately noted its the jug in fresh water minutes I had collected weight, texture and odd with some vinegar to Lahn or Rhine river several nice Megladon, looped handle. Back in clean off the barnacles ports. Angustidens, Tiger and the boat, I carefully and I could remove This specific jug Mako teeth and unpacked the finds and some of the algae and is a “Sekter” - a salt- fragments, the largest of was thrilled to see that mud with a soft glazed, wheel-thrown which (Meg) measures 4 the cylinder was, in toothbrush and some stoneware with a ringed neck and a ring-lip neck ¼ inches. Needless to fact, some sort of dish soap. say, I was very excited stoneware jug with The jug was finish that was to be in the right place obscured but cleaned by submersing manufactured by at the right time. I was interesting markings. it for two weeks in a Nassau Selter Co., in moving /scanning Not sure of how to 75% vinegar/water the Nassau District of solution. With the help western Germany and of SDAMP, we were able imported to the United States by Houck and to identify the jug. These earthware jugs Dieter of El Paso, TX where handcrafted by from 1893 to 1895. It local potters and filled carries an impressed in the small town of seal with SELTERS Niederselters around a German eagle that contains the (population 800) with the famous Selter’s initials F.R. on his chest Springs mineral water and may have arrived in (the original Seltzer the US as early as 1846. water, 1728). The process of bottling and Thanks to distribution is known as SDAMP the jug has been accurately “mineralwasservasand,” a process that requires identified and cleaned the participation of and hobby diver #5072 has written his first Stoneware jug before (left) nearly every citizen of diving article! and after (right) cleaning the town to ensure that the jugs where properly
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Dangerous Diving By Grady Starnes, Hobby Diver #4889 September 10, 2011 big Megs we were alligator rise out of the I drifted back to my was a beautiful day. looking for. The Captain water. At this point lots boat. The engine I heard Five friends and I had told us if we heard him of things go through rev up was the gator booked a charter on the rev up his engine three your mind. The only hunters. Cooper River to look for times to surface. On the thing I could think of Once on my boat sharks teeth and other third dive, I heard the was swamp people and I thanked God for my artifacts. This was my engine rev up so I that guy who yells safety. The Captain third trip but my past checked my equipment “shoot him shoot” that’s moved us closer to the experiences would not and surfaced. I surfaced when I yelled to the hunters where we prepare me the about 20 yards from a hunters “shoot him helped load the gator dangerous encounter I green boat. I saw four again”. At this point, I and gets some pictures. would face today. men pulling on ropes don’t know who was The gator was over 13 The captain was and struggling with more shocked to see a feet long and was the a great guy and was something in the water. SCUBA diver in the biggest the hunters had very knowledgeable Then I saw one of the water, the 3 boats who ever killed. The boy who about finding sharks men lean over the side had gathered to watch shot the gator with his teeth. He put us on with a pistol and shoot. or the hunter with the bow was 14 years old. some great spots but we That’s when I saw the gun. The hunter shot The young man told us just could not find the massive head of an the gator once more and we were crazy because there were alligators in the water here. Yes, I do plan to dive the Cooper River again and I understand the dangers. It’s all worth it for the thrill of touching and pulling something out of the water that could be millions of years old!
Wafer Seals By Carl Naylor, SDAMP We here at SDAMP Like the more century parlors was bad. Wafers were headquarters have familiar sealing wax, discussing who fit into commonly colored red, never met an artifact we wafers provided a which category. but other colors became didn’t like. That goes somewhat secure Glue wafers were popular as well. As was double for an artifact closure for personal made of a mixture of the fashion with wax recovered from the correspondence. In fact, wheat flour, water, egg seals, the color of the bottom of the Cooper the choice of wafers or white, and (most often) wafer often indicated River by licensed hobby wax reflected social coloring, that was made the user’s sentiments. diver Catherine Sawyer. customs of the day. into a paste, dried in Black was used by Cat recently sent us When sending a letter to sheets, and punched those in mourning, photos of her find: an one’s betters, etiquette out into small, flat green indicated implement used to seal required the use of discs. A fancier form, friendship, yellow was letters and documents sealing wax. Wafers called “medallion seals,” for holidays and with glue wafers, mostly were for equals or one’s was made by filling journeys, purple for in the eighteenth and inferiors. One can only molds with colored invitations, and so on. early nineteenth imagine the hours paste which when dried The wafer could be centuries. It’s called a spend in eighteenth and mimicked wax seals, applied in one of two wafer seal. early nineteenth provided your vision (Continued on page 8)
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Wafer Seals (continued from page 7) ways. They could be tampers. Pipe tampers, square or rectangular. used like sticky labels, due to their single The introduction by wetting the bottom of function of tamping of self-adhesive the wafer and placing it down tobacco in round envelopes in the middle over the join, or as an pipe bowls of all sizes, of the nineteenth adhesive, by wetting it have round, flat, and century rendered the entirely and placing it usually smaller working use of wax and wafer between two pieces of ends than wafer seals. seals obsolete. paper. Either way, Wax seals most often The best pressure needed to be have monograms, coats artifacts are those that maintained until the of arms, or other not only show us how pre-wetted wafer dried. insignia to leave an we accomplished tasks The wafer seal supplied impression in the wax. in the past but also this pressure. Wafer seals have a reveal social customs. Wafer seals are simple crosshatched Cat’s recent find 18th century wafer seal found often misidentified as design on their bases, certainly does that. by hobby diver Catherine either their cousins wax which is most often Thanks for the photos, Sawyer seals or as pipe round, but sometimes Cat! My First Hobby Diving Experience By Ashley Deming, SDAMP On the morning of view the day through why all of you wear to have another in the October 4, 2011, I the eyes of one of our kneepads. The knees of SDAMP collection for joined Hobby Divers Ted hobby divers. my wetsuit now look our workshops. I put it Churchill and Jay We suited up at like a wild animal in my BC pocket and Hubbell for my very first the landing and set off attacked me! ventured father on in hobby diving to an undisclosed Now it was time search of these meg experience. My goal location on the Cooper. for the hunt. We moved teeth I have heard so was to understand a Ted wanted me to onto a spot where Ted much about. day in the life of a experience the raging and Jay assured me we I dropped down hobby diver. I’ve been currents of the river so would find some teeth onto a shelf ledge to diving loads of times in we got in, he tethered and maybe some around 20 feet. I the Cooper, but always me to him, and we rode artifacts. When I worked my way along it as an archaeologist and this current that was dropped down, it looked appreciating the geology usually on a shipwreck. pointless to swim (yes looked, as there of the marl and the I really wanted to know against. I now was at least five feet of amazing power of water what it would be like to completely understand visibility!) like a place erosion (can’t help being where glassware goes to a scientist I guess!), die. Broken glass of all when I saw it. There on time periods scattered the ledge, teetering on the bottom in only the edge of the drop-off, around 15 feet. I’m was a 4 ½” meg tooth. I more into ceramics, but had seen fragments and My first big I thought Carl might small teeth on this dive, meg tooth appreciate identifying a but this was huge! I nice medicine bottle if I assumed that my dive found one. And I did! A buddy left it there for cute little thing that me just to make sure I looked like the typical had a good first ones I had seen time experience. It was just and time again in hobby placed there with reports. Couldn’t hurt nothing else around it (Continued on page 9)
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My First Hobby Diving Experience (continued from page 8) on this ledge. It had to recording my finds with (Society for Historical have been left there by the State Museum and Archaeology) website Ted. Then I started to SDAMP. that relates to bottles. think about Ted. The meg tooth My bottle was actually Knowing him as I do, would be the hardest for pictured and written there is no way he me as I am not a about specifically! What would leave a tooth that paleontologist and don’t luck! The McCormick size on the edge of a know squat about shark Company is the same drop-off or part with a teeth. I do, however, one that is still in tooth that size…ever. It know the curator of business today. They wanted me to was as if the river was natural history at the specialize in spices and understand and share giving me a gift. “Here State Museum, so I will seasonings. You what draws all of you to you go, Ashley. This is be seeking his help to probably have some of its dark, murky depths. what it is all about,” it properly date and their product in your The thrill of adventure said. catalogue my find. cupboard right now. and discovery. I surfaced to The “medicine” My bottle would have Mysteries of millions of show my dive buddies bottle identification is contained some sort of years past. As an my finds. I had done definitely in my liquid flavoring extract archaeologist, I can what I came there to do wheelhouse, so I looked (like vanilla or almond) certainly understand and it wasn’t going to forward to identifying and bears maker’s that draw. It is what get any better than that! that. I use “medicine” markings that date it to drew me to archaeology I pulled the bottle out bottle in quotations 1936 or 1939. I had in the first place. It is first, which Jay was because, although it is new SDAMP intern, the opportunity to travel kind enough to clean off the common name for a Mike Slot take lots of back in time and to for me. He then asked bottle with this pictures of both finds so bring to life the story of if I had found any teeth. appearance, these we have a good a people (or creature) I hummed and hawed bottles held anything catalogue for our files. long since faded from and said I’d seen a few from medicine to sewing Mike made sure to take this world. These small fragments but machine oil. My bottle the pictures with scale artifacts and fossils are didn’t collect them. He was embossed with and on a background tangible pieces of was just about to say “McCormick & Co, that isn’t too history that go far something along the Baltimore.” It was good distracting, as you can beyond what you can lines of “better luck next place to start. see from the included read in a book. time,” when I pulled out Thankfully, photos. I had just as my find. I thought Jay’s SDAMP has some great I really did get much fun identifying eyes were going to pop links through their the real sense of being a my artifact as I did out of his head. “You website that can help hobby diver on my trip. finding it and sharing it found this on your first with identification of In revealing to me the with all of you. We, at time out!?” he asked in artifacts. Carl and I extract bottle and the SDAMP, hope that you surprise. Neither he popped onto the SHA meg tooth, the Cooper feel the same way and nor Ted had found will continue to share anything that size on your finds with us this trip, so I think they through your reports. were both a little We are always jealous. They kept interested in what you muttering about find and will do our best beginner’s luck and how to help you identify it boat tolls must be paid and conserve it. We will in meg teeth… even be willing to go out I felt pretty with you and identify satisfied that I had your artifacts right in achieved my goal on the your own boat water. Now, I had to hint…hint… finish the experience by identifying and
Quarterly Reporter Page 10 of 14 Conservation Corner
Care of Collections and Preventive Conservation: Part I
By Johanna Rivera, Conservator, HL Hunley Project, Warren Lasch Conservator Center, Clemson University Preventive Conservation extremely damaging to seeks to protect collections and it should collections from be avoided. With high deterioration and relative humidity during damage through the summer, gaseous implementation of pollutants become more Johanna Rivera policies and procedures reactive, mold can grow Conservator dealing with and metals can corrode. environmental Anything above 60% conditions, object could be damaging for handling, storage, materials. Avoid storing exhibition, use, etc. The objects in extreme the use of desiccants accelerate deterioration. goal of preventive settings such as attics, like silica gel. Dust is composed of conservation is to basements or sheds. Try different materials diminish the daily to store your collection, Temperature could also including skin cells, stress on collections especially metals, play a significant role in hair, and other that build up over time wherever there is a material deterioration. particulates such as and to avoid damage or working AC unit. Since High temperatures can pollen or sand grains loss (Merrit and Reilly, it is difficult to control lead to desiccation, that may be in the air. 2010). relative humidity during discoloration and Dust could be an issue In conservation, summer, metals should chemical deterioration for metals since it could nine agents of be stored separately in organic materials retain moisture- deterioration have been from the rest of the since heat increases the accelerating corrosion. identified as detrimental collection by using rate of chemical Routine housekeeping for collections, some of cabinets or boxes to reactions. As mentioned is very important to them are: buffer the artifacts from earlier, one way to avoid remove potentially the environment or with temperature harmful dust. Cleaning High relative humidity is deterioration is by not of the object may be storing collections in done with soft cloths extreme locations such and soft brushes. Make as attics or sheds. sure that you are not doing any damage by Light could also be very pushing dust into detrimental for organic recesses or scraping materials. Light effects abrasive particles like are cumulative and sand across the surface. cannot be reversed. Proper care and Avoid exposing your maintenance of your artifacts to UV light as collection will ensure much as possible by not that they are available displaying artifacts near for future generations to windows. You could enjoy. In the next also use curtains or Conservation Corner shutters to block out find out how to safely sunlight. store your collection using inert storage HL Hunley brass binoculars stored on Dust is a common materials. silica gel (FOTH©) contaminant that can
Page 11 of 14 Quarterly Reporter From Gunboat to Garbage Can: The Conservation of a Cannonball Part 4 By Ashley Deming, Maritime Archaeologist, SDAMP Manager The cannonball has now change. We remixed been through ten full the sodium carbonate months of electrolysis. and water solution in We are hoping that our tank and let it settle these next few months while we worked with Figure 1 will be the last that the the ball. Intern Mike cannonball will have to Mike and I Slot cleaning undergo this worked using dental cannonball conservation technique. tools to carefully remove for its 10- In February or March, any of the active month we hope to finish off the corrosion from the cleaning conservation of the ball cannonball’s surface as outside of the tank. well as the pits and We did have to holes (Figure 1). There replace the steel are a few more pits in 2), the overall stability dealing with a 200-year- components in the tank the ball’s surface than of the ball is greatly old artifact that was during the last three there was during the improved. We had very submerged in a month period as they last cleaning interval. little sloughing off the brackish environment. were too corroded to Some of these are as surface of the ball and It isn’t going to be continue to produce deep as 1 inch toward not much new corrosion perfect. We will enough charge for the the center of the ball. in the preexisting pits continue to consult with circuit. Once replaced, There is also a small and holes. What this experts regarding the we were once again able amount of additional leads us to believe is conservation of the ball, to continue the process corrosion in the existing that the ball is slowly so we are able to do without too much pits. All active becoming more and everything we can to trouble. corrosion must be more stable and the conserve as much of the In December, removed to prevent conservation process is ball as possible. We are SDAMP intern, Mike further corrosion later. working. hoping for the best Slot and I removed the Although there The pits and possible outcome and ball from the solution is certainly more holes do not make us are confident we will for its three-month corrosion happening happy, but we are achieve it. cleaning and solution and pits forming (Figure (Photos of stages on page 12)
Figure 2 Figure 3 New pitting and holes Deep holes must be cleaned to prevent further corrosion
Quarterly Reporter Page 12 of 14
After initial After 1-month After 4-month After 7-month After 10-month corrosion removed cleaning cleaning cleaning cleaning
Welcome Aboard!
Hello Divers! By Mike Slot, Intern, SDAMP My By name is Mike Slot century opera house. I and Museum in and I’m excited to be and I am the newest recently moved here to Muskegon, Michigan. here in Charleston member of the SDAMP Charleston from There, I helped conduct working with SDAMP. I crew. I will be filling the Michigan where I did submarine surveys with am looking forward to internship role at the my undergraduate work Remote Operated meeting and diving with SDAMP office here in at Grand Valley State Vehicles or ROVs. I was you come spring! Charleston. Like most University. So far it’s also part of a team of you, I like looking for been great (I’m pretty working to design the cool stuff underwater. sure it’s snowing back ROV institute, an My educational home). My areas of afterschool program for background includes a interest include pretty junior high students bachelor’s degree in much anything that can that encourages kids to anthropology with a be associated with design, build and strong focus in history or the water, to operate their own ROV. underwater archaeology quote Clive Custer “If My goal is to one day go as well as a historical it’s old, I’m into it.” to graduate school for archaeology field school Prior to this internship, underwater in Nevada searching for I worked at the Great archaeology. I love the evidence of a 19th Lakes Naval Memorial water, love the ocean, SC State Museum Welcomes New Curator By Dave Cicimurri, Chief Curator of Natural History, South Carolina State Museum By My name is Dave state since arriving here and paleontological been on tracing changes Cicimurri and I’m the from South Dakota in diversity here, and the in environment and Natural History Curator 1999. Over the past 12 more I dig, the more I species composition at the South Carolina years I’ve had learn. I’ve only over the past 75 million State Museum (SCSM) opportunities to explore scratched the surface years. Did you know in Columbia. Although our state from east to (no pun intended) when that the Florence area I’m new to the State west, north to south, it comes to deciphering was a complex delta Museum, I’ve been and everywhere in our state’s ancient system where dinosaurs studying the geology between. I’m constantly history. roamed the shorelines, and fossil record of the amazed at the geological My focus has crocodiles lurked in the (Continued on page 12)
Page 13 of 14 Quarterly Reporter swamplands, and not made these fantastic new discovery. Carolina by 1) allowing sharks swam just discoveries on my own. This brings me us to take detailed offshore? Or that, 55 There are relatively few to my conclusion. As photographs or 2) make million years ago, the paleontologists in the divers in South a cast of the Jamestown area was an U.S., and our Carolina, you are able specimen(s), or even 3) estuary system that knowledge of the past to keep the fossils you donating the fossil(s) to supported an incredibly has benefitted greatly find. Your only the SCSM. diverse range of marine from the discoveries requirement, for I’m hoping to animals like fish made by folks who are licensing purposes, is to make the reporting (sharks and rays), curious about the past submit quarterly process easier by setting turtles, crocodilians, and are out having fun. reports, whether you up a pdf on both the and sea snakes? This There are literally find something or not. SCSM and the SDAMP was a tropical thousands of fossils in I’m not going to come websites so that you environment where the State Museum’s knocking on your door can fill in and submit water temperatures collection that have looking for any of the electronically. This will were 10-15 degrees been donated by specimens you report. I include options to warmer than today’s “hobby” collectors, and will, though, ask for upload pictures and summertime all of these fossils have your help with the maps along with your temperatures! In the proven important in research going on here report. You would still Summerville area 29 understanding the pre- at the SCSM. You all be able to fill out and million years ago, a history of our state. fill out the sections on send the report the old- wide variety of whales, Many specimens are the report to list the fashioned way (not that turtles and fish swam unique – they 1) types of fossils you’ve any of you are old- over what was then the represent new species; discovered and how fashioned, just if you sea floor. Nearly half a 2) represent the only many of them found, can’t fill it out million years ago, giant record of a species but I would like you to electronically) or you ground sloths, horses, anywhere in the world; include photographs as may email reports as giant armadillos, saber- 3) represent the oldest well as maps of where attachments to me at toothed cats, tapirs, and record of a species; 4) your discoveries were dave.cicimurri@scmuse giant tortoises lived represent the youngest made. I know this can um.org. alongside a forested record of a species; or 5) be a pain and is extra I’m looking river system in the represent the best work, but it will help me forward to working with Harleyville area. All of example of a known with determining you all over the coming these species are extinct fossil species. The point exactly what type of years, and hopefully in North America (half here is that every fossil shark teeth you found, we’ll have the chance to are extinct globally). discovery is important or what type of whale meet face-to-face. I have certainly and potentially a tooth, or what type of Please don’t hesitate to other species your contact me if you have fossils represent. Yes, any questions about the the rivers you dive in fossils you find. move the fossils out of their original context, Thanks! but by looking at your Dave maps we can still determine their Dave Cicimurri approximate area of Curator of Natural origination by studying History the local geology. I South Carolina State would also like to Museum request that, should 301 Gervais St., loading you make a particularly zone D interesting discovery (a Columbia, SC 29201 fossil elk skull, for (803) 898-4946 example), that you dave.cicimurri@scmuse consider sharing your um.org find with all of South
Letters to the Editors
Sport Diver Archaeology If you have something questions, comments, for all to read. that you would like to and concerns and we Just like your Management Program say about the program will post them here. You artifact report forms, The Quarterly Reporter is or have questions that can also send in you can email, fax, or a quarterly newsletter you think others like comments responding send your letters to from the Sport Diver yourself would like to to letters from other SDAMP. We look Archaeology have answered, look no hobby divers. Ashley forward to hearing from Management Program further. This section of and Carl will respond to all of you. the newsletter is just for your comments and (SDAMP), part of the Maritime Research you. Send in your answer your questions Division of the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Notes from the Editor Anthropology, University Congrats, Divers! We archaeology with you! History, Dave Cicimurri of South Carolina. have made it to If you haven’t used the to the fold. I know that between a 65-70% online system before, both of these fine reporting rate. You don’t be discouraged! individuals are going to Ashley Deming- Chief Editor guys are doing a great Feel free to call or email make a huge difference job! We are hoping to us with your questions in making this program Carl Naylor- Editor have an 80% reporting and we can walk you a real South Carolina rate by the end of the through the process. treasure! Welcome to year. Please help us You will not be both of you and we reach that goal by filing disappointed and you hope you enjoy your all of your 2012 reports will be able to file your new positions. Divers, on time. reports quicker and please feel free to We are strongly easier. contact either of these encouraging you to file In other news… individuals with your reports online. I would like to questions about the This makes our take this opportunity to program or their processing times much welcome new SDAMP experience. I know faster and more intern, Mike Slot as they look forward to efficient, so we can be well as new Chief meeting you! out there doing more Curator of Natural
Your SDAMP Staff Ashley Deming & Carl Naylor SDAMP PO Box 12448 Charleston, SC 29422
PHONE: (843) 762-6105 Useful Website Information
FAX: For more information on (843) 762-5831 SDAMP: www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa/mrd/sdamp.html E-MAIL: [email protected] MRD: www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa/mrd/mrd_index.html SCIAA: www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa SCIAA publication Legacy: www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa/legacy.html