1/18/20 Report - Higher Surf Recutting One Beach. EO and UFO (Unidentified Floating Object). Random Thoughts

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Large (Approx. 7 ft. long) Fender(?) On Beach.

I saw this item rolling in the surf Friday.   The size, I would guess, is about 3 - 4 feet high (as it lies) and about seven feet from end to end.  From how it moved I would guess it is empty.  It does have metal eyes on each end.  I didn't get real close to it, but it looked like it might be made of a thick, but hollow, flexible rubber like material, and the ends had a yellowish color, looking like brass or bronze.  I'm guessing it is a large boat fender or air bag.  It looks more heavy-duty than anything I've found online so far.  What do you think?

John Brooks Friday Afternoon.

As of late Friday afternoon, from the few beaches that I saw, it looked like the wind and surf had not yet improved beach conditions significantly.

The cut at John Brooks looked like it was being recut, but the cut was not nearly as big as it was when I increased my beach conditions rating to a two.

The beach in front of the cut was soft and mushy.

John Brooks Friday Afternoon.

Frederick Douglass Beach Friday Afternoon.

The front beach at Frederick Douglass appeared to be building.

Frederick Douglass Beach Friday Afternoon.

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A couple days ago GC was working the shell line at Fort Pierce South Jetty and picked up the usual light stuff along with an interesting EO, which is circled in the photo of finds in the photo below.

Wednesday Objects From the Shell Line

Photo by GC.

Here is how he described it.

Went to FP South Jetty Park on Wed. I see that the dune is cut back further than I have ever seen, but not as tall and vertical. So I guess any goodies are still buried under the renourishment. Lots of shells, and that shell line is where I dug up a curious object 2-3 inches in deep in sand.

     It gave off a very loud signal on my highly technical BH Time Ranger. All I did at the time was check it with my magnet because it was quite heavy. Not at all magnetic. Checked again at home with stronger magnet. Nope. When I tried, perhaps too vigorously, to chip off some of the encrusted material it broke, pretty much in half. The inside material appeared to be carbon, maybe charcoal like substance, in all appearances. and properties. I certainly have no level of expertise in identifying artifacts, but it occurs to me that it is a container or flask of some kind, possibly made of lead. In cross section an outer layer of some metallic substance, and what could possibly be a neck. That is my best guess to explain the heaviness and that layer. There are 2 areas, marked A and B, located within the outer layer, that appear to be shiny and metallic. They could be the inside surface of the container. But A has a very definite circular edge that seems quite different from B. I'm guessing that it was either round, and flattened somehow, or was a very thin, maybe pocket sized thing. The round thought is based on seeing what appears to be a crack at the outside edge in vertical photos.

      Any thoughts, ideas, guesses, would be greatly appreciated...

Two Views of EO

Find and photo by GC.

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You know you are getting old when -


you can't even remember the last time anyone asked about your schooling or occupation, which seemed so important at one time.

you are the only one who remembers the times, places and events of your childhood days.

the only people your age, or near it, that still look half way good are unrecognizable because of an extremely talented plastic surgeon.

you know more dead people than living.

you remember a day when the people you knew seemed to be united by a common view of things.

you realize that you were once just as stupid as you were young.

you realize that you didn't understand what your elders were going through and perhaps weren't as kind and considerate as you should have been.


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The wind was still blowing early Saturday morning but shifted.  It now is coming more from the south.  That means a change in how the beach was forming.

 The surf will peak about 9 AM, just after low tide.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

Like I said, I'm not increasing my beach conditions rating, but I haven't seen the Vero/Sebastian beaches, so could be missing something.  As of yesterday afternoon, the South Hutchinson Island beaches that I saw weren't encouraging.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/9/20 Report - Beach Conditions on the Treasure Coast With The Increasing Surf. Ring Find with Marks For Analysis.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Marks on Ring Found by Duane C.

Photos by Duane C.

I have a lot of beach conditions reports today, but I'll start with Duane's ring.  Here is what he said.

Found an old crusty silver ring the same day I dug a 1854 seated dime on a northern beach. The ring is stamped vertically and has no 925 or sterling marks. The makers mark appears to be a wreath with a crown on top circling two cursive letters inside. I found another picture of one online no ID. It maybe similar to one used by Premium Designs. That trademark has been bought & sold over the years by different companies. Last used 2016. I believe this has been around a long time. Wreaths are used on foreign coins as well as the crown. Possibly European origins? No purity marks?

Thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to help with the possible time period.

Duane

Ring Found by Duane C.

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I took a look at several beaches this morning.  The surf was building but coming too much from the east/southeast.

Starting on South Hutchinson Island, here is Frederick Douglass beach.

Frederick Douglass Beach Thursday.

Frederick Douglass Beach Thursday.

I didn't bother to stop at John Brooks. but I took a look at Fort Pierce South Jetty to see what it looked like.  It had eroded a lot since I had been there last, but a lot of sand washed in very recently.

Fort Pierce South Jetty Thursday.

I stopped by Turtle Trail.  Three or four detectorists were already there.

Turtle Trail Thursday.

The little cut and shells that were there recently had disappeared.

Turtle Trail Thursday.

There were two Ocean Rescue trucks at Seagrape Trail.  The entrance was closed.  I suspect that was only a very short-term closure.

Wabasso Beach, however, is closed Jan. 6 - January 20.  Gates were closed and a big orange sign stated the reason.  I should have read that but didn't.

There were a couple detectorists at Amber Sands.  That beach had eroded back since I was last there, but still it was just renourishment sand covering the surface.

Amber Sands Beach Thursday.

Amber Sands Beach Thursday.

North of Amber Sands there was road construction up past McClarty.

There was a lot of traffic in the Vero and Fort Pierce areas today.  I guess it is tourist season.

Overall, I didn't see anything to get excited about today.

Even though the surf is supposed to increase, it looks like we are going to have east/southeast wind all of that time.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

Help Duane figure out the age and identity of his ring.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

11/15/19 Report - Some Small Junk Finds. Dating Nails. Modern Tin Found On Ancient Wreck.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Broken Small Possible Tack Or Other Connector.

Here is one find I was able to see after a little cleaning.  When I dug it all I saw was a small black lump, but a lot of the crust easily came off.   After getting a look at it, my first impression was that the top was brass but the stem looked iron.  That doesn't make much sense to me, and it might not be right.  I'll have to get it cleaned better.  That shouldn't take long.

It seems to be a tack or maybe a broken rivet or something.   Looks old, but no way to say at this point.  It was one of a few small pieces I found yesterday.  The shank is very square but broken.

I just happened to run across a nice web site on nails as clues to age.

Here is one of the diagrams from the site.

And here is the link for more information about that.

https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Nails-as-clues-to-age

A couple other old small heavily-encrusted pieces I picked up yesterday included these two similar small pieces of what I think is lead - but very thin.  I'm pretty sure not they aren't aluminum.

Both pieces less than an inch at longest and very thin.

Nothing significant, but since it was the first time I used the Equinox in those types of conditions, I was happy to see it responding so well to small items in thick black sand.  In fact, I thought it handled the black sand very well in one of the standard modes. Some detectors I like to use in pin-point or all-metals mode in black sand - as odd as that might seem.

There is one piece that is starting to look like it might be silver and maybe a bit of a shield showing.  It definitely needs much more cleaning.

I'm sure there were some better finds, but I haven't received any more reports yet.

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Work on the new Reidi tee in central Tallinn yielded another surprising archaeological find recently, this one providing something of a riddle, ERR's Novaator science portal reports.

Workers found a buried wooden ship which archaeologists later determined dated from the end of the medieval period/beginning of the early modern era. Since musket shot was found in situ, the ship could not have been from any earlier than the dawn of the firearms era. Firearms were in common use in Europe by the fifteenth century.

However, tinned food was not in use at that time, which raises the question why a can with an expiry date from 1972 was found within the ship's structure...

Here is the link for the rest of that article.

https://news.err.ee/996439/reidi-tee-work-yields-puzzle-as-modern-tin-can-found-in-ancient-shipwreck

Things of different ages can get intermingled.

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Source: MagicSeaWeed.com.

Today the surf was down, but, as you can see, it will be building again by Saturday.  I hope the fronts keep on coming.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/10/19 Report - Earrings: Materials and Some Clues for Determing Age. Diamonds and Other clear Genstones.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Nice Crystal On Drop Earring.

I recently posted a photo of what I believe to be a vintage button featuring a clear stone.  Here is   very nice large clear crystal (if that is what I can call it) from a vintage earring that I once found.

Clear stones are a bit of a problem for me.  You always want to know what kind of stone you have, but it can be difficult to tell if you have a diamond, zircon, or any of a variety of other types of clear stones, unless you have a gem tester or take the item to a jewelry store or pawn shop to be tested.

This earring seems to me to be vintage.  Other than its overall look, notice the screw type closure.  Those were invented in the early 1900s and used a lot until the clip-ons were invented around 1930.

Closure For Same Earring.

This one is signed, but I haven't yet been able to make out the signature.

In the Renaissance era earrings were not popular because women's hairstyles obscured the ears, however they became more popular in the 17th century.  According to Deagan's book, Artifacts of the Spanish Colonies of Florida and the Caribbean, 1500 - 1800, earrings have been found at Spanish Colonial New World archaeological sites, especially 17th century sites. The long dangling type are more frequent from 18th century sites.  Many of those were made of copper alloy or gold and featured faceted glass, or paste, while others featured pearls, turquoise or emeralds.  Several gold drop-earrings have been found on 1715 Fleet wreck sites.

The closure can provide a clue to the age of an earring.  In the early 20th century ear piercing was not in fashion, so screw and clipon earrings were heavily used until piercing once again became popular in the 1970s.

17th and 18th century earrings were usually attached by a simple curved wire.  Similar wire hooks are still used today so that alone doesn't help much.

Here is an example I found on a Treasure Coast shipwreck beach, but there is no evidence that it is very old.  It could be quite modern.  There are no definitive marks, and the design is very basic and common.

I have found one almost exactly like one shown in the Deagan book on page 164 (figure 6.12).

When it comes to clear stones, there are a variety of methods or tests you can do yourself to see if you might have a diamond.

Of course the easiest thing is to take it to a jewelry store or pawn shop and have them test it.

Here is a link to a web site that lists 25 different clear gemstones that are used in jewelry.  Of course, it includes diamonds, zircons, white sapphire, spinel and much more.

Simulated gemstones are not new.  Paste, made from glass, goes back to Ancient Egypt.

The Rhine River was filled with quartz pebbles that were used in jewelry. That is why they are called Rhinestones. Eventually the natural glass pebbles were depleted.

In 1891 Swarovski invented a machine that could mechanically cut and facet glass. He began making rhinestones with a 32% high lead content with great refraction.   He also came up with a new kind of plating that for plating silver and gold onto the backs of the crystals.

I plan to add to this content some other day.

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Still nothing of interest on the National Hurricane Center web site.ast.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/27/19 Report - Mystery Item Find. Enameling and Cloisonne. Assessing Possible Age of Items.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Domed Cloisonné Button.

Measures 5/8 inch diameter.

Here is a dug item.  I think it might be a cloisonné button, but not sure.  What do you think?

Below is the back of the same item.

Back of Same Button.

There is a gold gilt on the back, which has been mostly worn off.  The shank has also been lost.

On the front, you can see where some of the enamel has come off.

Send me your thoughts.

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I refined and improved my list of factors that can help determine the age of a dug item.

Here is my new revised list.

1. Stamps or markings   

        a. Country name or references.  

        b. Legal statement  

        c. Maker's mark  

        d. Marks of composition or purity 

        e. Owner's mark  

        f. Patent or registration marks   

        g. Retailer's name   

        h. Statement of allowed, proper or customary use 

        I. Year or date   

2. Shape

        a. Designs or symbols associated with a time period or culture.   

        b. Image of real objects or events of known date.
        c. Exact or similar example from a particular time period

3. Corrosion, weathering, aging    

4. Context or stratigraphy  

5. Known history of the area where found   

6. Usage wear 

7. Signs of manufacturing process.   

8. Hi-tech scientific testing ie. radiocarbon

Some factors or stronger than others.  By that I mean they provide more confidence or a specific date or narrow date range.

In the above listing stamps and markings are strong factors, for example, while corrosion is a weak factor that only provides a very general idea of the possible age.

Even though stamps and marks are generally relative strong factors, they can be fake, faint, incorrect or incorrectly interpreted.

Factors also intereact.  For example, corrosion might provide some information that an item has a little age, but at the same time removes or obscures stamps or marks.

Some cases are simple and clear.  A single mark might be considered highly definitive, while other cases involve multiple factors and are still not conclusive.

I once posted the silver bracelet shown below.

One additional thing that fits in with factor three is the aging of stones.  Turquoise for example changes color over time, but it probably takes an expert to observe that change.

Here are some of the factors.  The metal is silver, which is no help.  There is a lot of corrosion.  It was found on a beach where other old shipwreck items have been found.  There does not appear to be much use from wear.  Although there is a lot of corrosion, the close-ups of the hands do not appear to show a lot of wear.  Similar hands are similar to those from old shipwreck jewelry, but a photo of a extremely similar modern silver bracelet was found (thanks to Mitch K.).

A few factors can be observed, but inconclusively.

Context can be a strong factor, but it isn't in this case because of the dynamic beach environment and possibility of items from various age periods showing up at the same location.

The amount of corrosion shows that the item is not brand new, but it doesn't take long for items to corrode in a salt water environment. ( I always thought about doing experiments to see how long it takes silver to corrode in salt water, but never did it. )

And although the hands are similar from to those of older periods, they are also common on modern items, and more impressive is the near exact match with a specific example of a modern item.

Overall, the very good match with a modern bracelet seems to carry the most weight.  That, however could be a design that has been used for centuries, but we have no evidence of that.

I said factors can interact.  Here is one example.  Notice that I did not mention stamps or markings, which can be very strong and precise factors.  None were found on this item.  I searched for stamps or marks using a microscope, but it is possible that the corrosion obscured them if they were ever there.  You would certainly expect some type of silver mark on a modern retail piece, yet none was found.  Corrosion can, as you know, obscure stamps or marks.

The band seems too thin and round for most stamps or marks.  Any mark on the thin band would have to be very small, so I did a little additional cleaning of the ands, which to me seemed to be the most likely area for any stamps or marks.  I still found none.  After cleaning the hands and inspecting them closely under magnification, I still found on evidence of any stamps or marks.

I think the checklist can be helpful as it is, but I'll continue to try to improve it.  It might be helpful to define the strength and limits of the various factors.

There can still a good bit of subjectivity involved in reaching a conclusion.  I don't think I'll be able to remove that.  It might not even be desirable to do so.

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Did you know - Turquoise is a compound that includes metals such as aluminum, copper or iron. Water and oil can cause some of these metals to oxidize, or in other words rust. As a result of oxidation, the stones can actually change color.  Blue turquoise that contains copper can change from a light blue to a dark green.

Household chemicals and lotions can also cause turquoise to change color.

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First used on small pieces of jewelry, enamel is not paint but a thin coat of glass. Once applied to a metal and heated to high temperatures, will melt and become fused to the metal. This is similar to how ceramic glazes adhere to pottery. Pure gold, silver and copper were traditionally the only metals used in the enameling process...

Cloisonné: Enameling was practiced as early as the 5th century B.C. by the ancient Greeks, and it was the Greeks who developed the most well-known technique of enameling, cloisonné. The technique of cloisonné enamel is produced by by soldering flat metal strips to the surface of the piece, creating a groove. These are then filled with the enamel, and the piece is then fired until the enamel fuses. When cooled, the surface of the object is polished. Modern Chinese cloisonné is probably the most well known however, Chinese cloisonné ware isn’t the only collectable or desirable form of cloisonné. Russian cloisonné from the Tsarist era is also highly prized by collectors...

Distinguishing between antique and modern enamel can be a very complex process. Even experts can be led astray, and without a trained eye, evaluating these pieces is difficult. An antique Chinese vase was sold recently by Potburys, a UK auction house, for 31,000 pounds. Although it was first catalogued as 19th century, specialists later recognised the vase as a rare survivor from the reign of the emperor Qianlong...

Here is the link.

https://sarasotaantiquebuyers.com/how-to-identify-collectible-enamel/

That reminds of the cloisonné ring I once found just north of Turtle Trail.  The beauty of it struck me.  I always liked cloisonné, but  at the time I didn't think it could possibly be old.  I thought cloisonné was a more modern technique.  I didn't learn until years later that it could have possibly been from a shipwreck.

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Let me know what you think of the mystery item or my list of factors.

There is currently no significant weather or changes in beach conditions.

Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

7/25/19 Report - Some Thoughts on Silver Marks, Hallmarks, and Makers Marks As Clues to The Age of A Marked Item.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.


Yesterday I started with a very simple example and didn't discuss much of anything new or surprising.   The item itself isn't very remarkable - a silver pendant of little consequence.  I referred to a few factors that suggested something about the date of the item, but I didn't discuss other features that might help narrow down the date of the item.  While we may not care much about the pendant, I'll refer to a couple of the marks on the item for purposes of illustration.

Before I get into that, I want to make a comment about how common or unspectacular items can become interesting.  An item can become interesting if it can be associated with a person or event that people find interesting.  An item that otherwise would be thrown in the trash, might be treasured if it was owned by a celebrity such as Elvis Presly or Leonard Nimoy.   An otherwise unremarkable iron spike might not be of interest until it is documented to come from a famous wreck such as the Atocha, for example.

I'll be adding to my list of factors that can be used for dating items.  I've already done a little of that since yesterday.  Below is the slightly refined and expanded list.  It is still very far from complete.

 Factors that can help date an item.

Shape

        Designs or symbols associated with a time period or culture.  

        Image of real objects or events of known date.

Material composition

Corrosion or weathering

Stamps or markings

        Country name or references.

        Legal statement

        Maker's mark.

        Marks of composition or purity

        Owner's mark

        Patent or registration marks

        Retailer's name

        Statement of allowed, proper or customary use

        Year or date

Context or stratigraphy

Known history of the area where found

Useage wear

Signs of manufacturing process.

Scientific age testing ie. radiocarbon

As I said, I'll continue to develop this list and add additional comments and qualifiers in the future.

The marks on the back of the Acropolis pendant that I showed yesterday showed a country name, a maker's mark (I think), and "800." While there was no date on the pendant, these marks can help narrow it down.

Hallmarks vary from country to country.  Britain has the most extensive system for marking precious metals.

Country names occasionally change, so a country name can provide a clue to the date of the item.

Hallmarks can be researched to determine the date of the maker or manufacturer, which of course can provide a date range for the item.

See https://www.925-1000.com/ to go to the online Encylcopedia of Silver Marks, Hallmarks and Makers Marks.

If you dig up an item on a shipwreck beach and it has the word "sterling" on it, what does that tell you about the age of the item?   It tells you something, but you might be surprised to learn how long the term "sterling" has been used.

The sterling silver standard (the 925 ratio) first originated in England around the 14th century when King Edward I declared it mandatory for all silversmiths to manufacture silver products with 92.5 percent pure silver.  Did you know it was that old?  Years ago, if I picked up an item and saw that it was marked sterling, I would quickly conclude that it was a modern item and given it little consideration.  Silversmiths in England and France began stamping-sterling silver objects with the "925" mark in the 14th century.

The vast majority of qualifying items made in the US from 1860 to 1970 – especially those made before 1940 – are marked "sterling" or "sterling silver."  Very rarely are qualifying pieces of American silver from those years marked only 925.  Prior to the general adoption of sterling silver as the standard of purity in 1868, silver was generally obtained from the melting of coins.

So if you dig up an item on a Treasure Coast shipwreck beach marked "sterling," you can conclude that it isn't from a 1715 Fleet wreck, but you can't immediately conclude that it is not old just because of the mark.  While a a mark indicating the metals purity can give a clue to the date of an item, the possible date range is fairly large.

You might want to read the Stamping Act of 1906, which regulated the use of such terms in the United States. (See http://www.chineseargent.com/home/national-gold-and-silver-stamping-act-of-1906)

The Stamping Act of 1906, also known as the National Gold and Silver Marking Act, was amended in 1981.   While the law requires that gold and silver carrying a quality mark also carry the registered trademark of the person or organization responsible for the guarantee of quality, there is no United States law requiring that gold or silver be quality marked in the first place. If a quality mark appears, so must the trademark. Whereas a quality mark alone is meaningless, the appearance of a trademark serves to assign the responsibility for fraudulent quality marks.  (See https://www.stuller.com/articles/view/national-gold-and-silver-marking-act/)

In the early United States, no national assaying system was adopted, although the city of Baltimore did maintain its own assay office between 1814 and 1830.  Since these could vary considerably in purity, from around .750 millesimal fineness to around .900, silver known as "coin silver" varies in purity. Silver at that time was sometimes marked "COIN" or "PURE COIN", but can also be without a standard mark altogether. After the adoption of the sterling standard, pieces were marked with "STERLING", the number "925" or the notation "925/1000".

The United States also had no date marking system. Because of this, some companies within the U.S., such as Tiffany; and Barton and Gorham, adopted their own date marking systems.

While American manufacturers did not apply assay marks, city marks or date marks, they did apply a maker's mark. This is generally not done today. The old hallmarks were as unique as today's logos, and disputes often arose when one company copied another's stamp.

"In the USA, The National Gold and Silver Marketing Act does not require precious metals to be marked with quality. However, if a quality mark is used, the mark must be accompanied by a manufacturer's hallmark that is a registered trademark or the name of the manufacturer. If there is ever a question about the content of a piece of jewelry, the manufacturer can be traced using the hallmark stamped on the piece....US law requires a maker's mark in the form of a hallmark or registered trademark in addition to the quality mark if the goods are quality marked. The name of the artist or manufacturer may now be used for this." 

The Acropolis pendant was marked 800.  80% silver often called "coin silver."

In 1884 a law was enacted making .800 the minimum national standard for silver in Germany. In 1886 the use of individual city marks was abolished and replaced by the national mark (reichsmark) of a crescent moon and crown mark representing the entire German state. These marks became compulsory by 1888.  That provides an example of how country names can help determine a date or date range.
.
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My main point today is that hallmarks can be helpful indetermining the age of an item.  They might not give a specific year, but they can help you narrow down the possible date range even though it might take some research.  Company names and makers marks can also be useful.  Things differ from country to country and during different periods, so you will undoubtedly have to do some research for specific pieces that are of enough interest to bother with.  In the case of the Acropolis pendant, it isn't really worth bothering with, but I think it provided the basis for an instructive exercise.

Did you think there was anything odd about the GREECE mark?  Do you think that is the country of origin?  If so, why wasn't it written in Greek?

I'm not satisfied with the organization or clarity of this post.  It is just a part of a work in progress.  If I made any mistakes, which is most likely, let me know.  In the things I've read, I've seen things that really don't stick together perfectly, and I didn't double check everything.  Still, I hope this information might help you in some way.

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The weather system that was developing in the Gulf has not strengthened.  In fact it is less organized.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/24/19 Report - System Developing in Gulf. Eagle Pin Identified. Starting Discussion on Factors Involved With Dating Dug Items.

Written by the Treasureguide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

We have a new system in the Gulf that has a 20% chance of becoming a cyclone in the next 48 hours.  It is just below Louisiana now.  The map is getting more active.

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I thought the eagle pin I showed yesterday wouldn't take long to ID.  Mitch King was once again the first to respond saying that it is a navy petty officer third class collar insignia.  Mitch provided the following link.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petty_officer_third_class

DJ confirmed that adding, ...construction port office third class rank in the US NAVY.  DJ provided this link.

Scott B. also got it.

Thanks much guys!  

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I plan to develop a list of factors that can help identify the age of a found object when the age is unknown or uncertain.

There will be a lot of times when a single factor will not be definitive or conclusive.  There will be times when one factor might provide a degree of confidence and additional factors will add to the level of confidence.  At other times it might seem that some factors are suggesting one answer and other factors are suggesting another answer.

I think the exercise of developing the taxonomy will help us become more clear and precise in our understanding of the various factors to be considered and how they contribute to an estimated date range.

For many who hunt the Treasure Coast, there is one type of target that is on their mind - 1715 Fleet treasure.  When they look at a newly dug find, what they wonder if the item might be from a Spanish shipwreck.  I've received many questions over the years that seem very binary - is it an old shipwreck treasure, or not.  That is the primary interest.

There are times when you look at something and it seems the age is obvious enough.  In more complex cases, a single factor might not be definitive or conclusive.  Some factors provide more help than others and are more reliable than others.

You might end up with some pieces of evidence saying one thing and other factors saying something else.  Some factors might deserve more weight than others.  I'll attempt to quantify that to whatever extent I can.

Right now I'll just throw out a few random general factors.  

 Factors for determining age

Shape
Material composition

Amount of wear from usage
Corrosion

Stamps or markings

Context or stratigraphy

Known history of the area
Scientific age testing ie. radiocarbon

I'm just throwing that out now as a place to start.  The list might become longer and it will definitely become more detailed.

I am aware of detailed checklists for certain types of objects.  For example, SHA has a very good one for bottles.

In going through the exercise, I'm sure I will learn a lot and hope that others benefit too.  

I'll kick off this discussion with one simple and super-easy example today.

Small Silver Pendant of Charm.
Approximately 3/4 inch wide.

Here is a dug pendant or charm.  It is approximately 3/4 inch wide.

The shape of the object is very recognizable.  It appears to represent a known historic structure.  It looks like the Acropolis to me.  If that is true, we already have a starting date, but the pendant appears to show the Acropolis in a state of decay.  That could be helpful in some cases, but in this case the object at first glance doesn't seem very old anyhow.

Acropolis In State of Decay.

The recognizable shape provides some quick information, but if we turn the pendant over we are very fortunate again.

Back of Same Pendant.

Look at the bonanza of markings.  There is a country name, maker's mark, and mark of purity.  And it is all very readable without having been cleaned, although magnification does help.

The markings provide a lot of date information too, but I don't have time for all of that today.

Just one more quick comment on the context -  it was found on a volleyball court in front of the Fountainbleau Hotel.  That adds information too.

That was an easy one.  I could post a lot more if I got more into the stamped markings, but I'll have to do that some other time.

We'll eventually look at more difficult examples.



Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net