7/14/.19 Report - 17th Century Shipwreck With Gold Coins, Diamond Ring and CHEESE. Old Plated and Gilt Buttons. Barry.

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

Source: See TheLocal.se link below.

Of the gold coins, diamond ring and cheese salvaged from a 17th century shipwreck, it seems the cheese received the most attention, perhaps because it was somewhat unusual or said more about daily life on board the ship.

Divers excavating the royal ship Kronan in the waters off the Baltic Sea island of Öland came upon the smelly material inside a black tin jar found on the seabed this month.

"It's a pretty good guess that it's some kind of dairy product, and we think it is cheese," researcher Lars Einarsson at the Kalmar County Museum told The Local on Wednesday.

"It looks a bit like some kind of granular Roquefort cheese. It's been in the mud, so it's reasonably well preserved, but at the same time it has been at the bottom of the sea for 340 years – we're not talking Tutankhamun's burial chamber," he said.

Einarsson said the thick, gooey find smells strongly of cheese and yeast.

"I think it smells quite nice, because I like exotic food. But I would not want to taste it."

He and his team presented the suspected cheese on Tuesday along with some of the other items salvaged during the two-week diving project in July – including 14 gold coins and a diamond ring...

Here is the link.

https://www.thelocal.se/20160727/old-stinky-cheese-found-on-swedish-17th-century-ship

---

Yesterday I posted the following button for ID.

Mitch King identified it as a modern blazer button.  That is what I get for dumping a bunch of buttons together and not doing the research or labeling them.  Actually I couldn't have planned it better, because it goes along perfectly with what I wanted to discuss today.

Yesterday I talked about putting the puzzle together.  I was talking about the evidence that remains on a site that when put together gives a nice picture of what happened at a ;particular time and place in history.  My example was a land site where there were was still a lot of evidence of that time in history.

The beach is different.  Instead of finding many pieces of the puzzle in context, on a beach it is more like you took puzzle random pieces from a lot of different puzzles, threw them altogether, and churned them continually for years.  You might occasionally get a few things that go together, but things from different times, and even different places, can be mixed in.  In the dunes, things are as randomly mixed, and in the deeper water things aren't as completely mixed.  And if you get down to deeper layers of sand, things haven't been disturbed as much, but if you are talking about that area near the water line where there is almost continual movement, old things can show up once in a while, but things from more recent times can show up as well.  You can't tell much about the age of the item from its context, because the context has not been preserved in that great mixing bowl.  You can find things that differ in age from millions old to things that were lost just yesterday in the same place.  Furthermore, the items can move north or south on the beach, not just up and down or in and out.  They can also come from farther out in the water or down from the dunes.

When you are getting multiple items, sometimes you can actually trace them to try to determine where they are coming from.  I've found, for example, lead shot on the beach and also on slabs falling down the dune face.  That convinced me that at least some of them were coming from the dunes.  Other times you might be able to trace them down into the water, but it is often not easy to figure out where they came from, especially when they come from that very dynamic zone where sand and other things move almost continually.

---

Here are some old dug buttons without much identifying information other than the back marks, yet there are some clues.

Near 3/4 Inch Domed Button That Reads PLATED.

Below is a flat button that reads STANDARD COLOUR RICH.  I can't make out the other marks.

Reads: STANDARD COLOUR RICH

I assume that one is British because of the spelling of color.


And below is a coat button.  I assume that because of the large, over one inch, size.

Flat Coat Button.

I was going to post the front and backs of each of these and some other buttons, but when I started to do it I realized I had some of the photos labeled wrong.  Maybe I'll straighten out that some other time.

---

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

As you can see, Barry has move north.  The other system that was in the Atlantic has disappeared.

Watch for more of those though.  Once it starts there are usually several systems coming off of Africa.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/8/19 Report - Another Old Button for ID. Prisoner of War Camps in Florida During WWII. Megalodon Tooth Find. Viking Boat Burials.

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

Unidentified Button Find.

As you can see, this button has a crown on the front and the back is too corroded to show much of anything.

I haven't done the research on it yet, and would appreciate any help.

I had a cup with old button finds that had accumulated over the years.  Unfortunately I didn't label them, so I don't know when or where they were found.

The button I posted yesterday has the words "EXTRA FEIN" on the back.  In German that means extra fine. I thought it might have been produced in Germany for another country because I didn't think it was very likely that I would have found a German button, but I guess it is possible.  Susan E. thought it might be a WW II German button but hadn't found the exact one yet.

I started wondering where I might have found a German WW II button.  The first thing I thought of was the German spies that came ashore during WW II, but it seems extremely unlikely that would be the source.  It seems more likely to me that someone just lost a souvenir or something.

Then I remembered that I used to do a lot of metal detecting down south in an area where there was a WW II prisoner of war camp.  I found some lists of Florida WW II prisoner of war camps, and there were a few, but they didn't list any in the area that I was thinking of, so I started wondering if I remembered that correctly.  Finally I found that I was right about that.

Since the 1920's, the Detroit-based Miami Beach Heights Corporation (headed by industrialists Robert C. Graham, Walter O. Briggs, and C.T. Fisher) owned 245 acres of undeveloped, partially swampy land that stretched from the bay to the Atlantic. Mr. Graham assumed the duties as the developer for Bal Harbour. In the 1930's, city planners Harland Bartholomew & Associates were called in to design the Village. The company made several plans and they were submitted for review to Miami Beach Heights. In 1940, World War II began and the plans were put on hold. As a goodwill gesture to the government, Robert C. Graham rented the land to the United States Air Corps for $1 per year. The Air Corps used this land to train their soldiers and established a Prisoner of War camp. The ocean front area was used as a rifle range and the barracks were set up on the west side of Collins Avenue. The camp for prisoners was located where the Bal Harbour Shops are presently... 

(Source: https://activerain.com/blogsview/484718/the-history-of-bal-harbour--florida----paradise-found----miami--fl-33154)

I used to spend a lot of time hunting in that area.  If the button I posted yesterday is a German WWII button, there is a very good chance that is where I found it.

While doing the research I learned a lot.  Did you know, there were over 425,000 prisoners of war in the United States during WW II?

I found a few Florida POW camps listed on Wikipedia.  The Bal Harbour camp was not in that list or other lists that I saw.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_prisoner-of-war_camps_in_the_United_States

Once again I'll remind you to keep good records of your finds.

---

A middle school girl stumbled upon a buried treasure while spending her spring break on a beach in North Carolina.

Avery Fauth and her family love to scour the sand for shark teeth whenever they’re on a beach. But Fauth attributes her recent prehistoric find — a megalodon shark tooth — on North Topsail Beach to luck...

Here is the link.

https://nypost.com/2019/04/19/girl-finds-megalodon-shark-tooth-buried-in-sand-at-beach/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_4028701

---

Source: click2houston.com.

See link below.

Two Viking burial boats are being uncovered in Sweden.


In this sort of burial, the person was placed along with his or her riches in a boat that was then put into the ground.

The archaeologists also found a sword, an ornate comb, a spear and part of a shield in the intact boat.

The identity of the man remains unknown.

The other of the two boats did not hold up as well.  It was probably damaged during work on the land in the 16th century....

It's been 50 years since the last burial ship was found in Sweden...


Here is the link.


https://www.click2houston.com/lifestyle/2-rare-viking-burial-boats-uncovered-in-sweden


---

Expect continued small surf on the Treasure Coast for at least another week or so.

Let me know if you find any information on the buttons I posed yesterday and today.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

7/7/19 Report = Unidentified Button Find. Possible Shell Tool Find. Resource on Shell Tools. Florida Laws Web Site.

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

Old Unidentified Button.

Here is one old button find that I can't identify.  I can't make out the design on the front.  The back says "EXTRA FEIN."

Let me know if you can identify this one or anything about it.

---

Israel officially opened a stairway, known as "Pilgrim's Road," that Jesus is believed to have walked on in ancient Jerusalem as another place with the significance of "biblical proportions" to billions, especially for Judeo-Christian visitors to the Holy Land.

The City of David Foundation unveiled the 2,000-year-old main thoroughfare from Roman-era Jerusalem that it says served pilgrims ascending to the ancient Jewish Temple from the Pool of Siloam built by King Hezekiah. Until recently, it was hidden under a potato field and discovered by accident in 2004 after a pipe burst...

Here is the link.

https://www.foxnews.com/science/israel-road-jesus-temple-ancient-jerusalem

---


Scott B. sent me the following photos and email. 

Shell Item Found by Scott B.

Photos by Scott B.

After seeing the picture you posted recently, I remembered this piece of shell I found a while back. At the time, it just seemed like an interesting smooth piece of shell. I’m pretty sure I found it at a Treasure Coast beach, but not 100% positive.

After looking closer at it, the item really fits well in my hand including a thumb stop and two notches on the other side where my middle and ring fingertips fit. It’s quite smooth, the years in the elements haven’t left any visible signs that it was worked with tools.

I think this may have been some type of hand blade for skinning or slicing. The thinner side is a bit worn, but could have been sharpened, I imagine.

Perhaps this is all coincidence, but thanks to your picture of the celt, I gave this a closer look and realize it could be a neat piece of history.

As always, thanks for all you do.

Scott 

Thanks Scott.  I'm glad my post inspired you to take another look at the item.   There are a variety of online resources you might want to consult, but when I'm not sure about an item nothing helps like talking to a knowledgeable person at a university, museum or trade show or just getting the opinions of others who are more informed.  People who know what to look for can identify the signs of the item being worked or used.

Maybe some of my readers will add their thoughts about your item.

---

If you are interested in learning more about Florida shell artifacts, here is a lengthy thesis of over 200 pages.  It presents many examples of various types.

Here is the first paragraph, which will give you some idea of the contents.

With this thesis, I aim to fill a gap in our knowledge of shell
artifacts from the northwest part of the state of Florida. It represents
a first look at the range of shell artifacts in the collections of the
University of South Florida (USF) obtained during the ongoing program
of archaeological investigations in the Apalachicola Valley and
surrounding region. There are 46 sites in the study area that have
been identified as yielding shell artifacts, of which samples from 27
sites are curated in the USF Archaeology Laboratory. The proposed
typology is based on an analysis of over 2300 specimens collected
from archaeological sites in northwest Florida, including the Gulf Coast,
barrier islands, St. Joseph Bay, and the Apalachicola River drainage.


Here is the link.

https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=2025&context=etd

---

Most detectorists don't know much about stone or shell artifacts.  I certainly don't.  But we should know enough to realize that they are out there and how to identify and respect them.  We also need to know something about the applicable laws.

I added the following to yesterday's post late yesterday, so in case you didn't see it, I'm posting it again.

As you probably know, there are laws regarding archaeological resources.  They are many and complex and can be very confusing.  I can't summarize or interpret them all, so don't ask me to.  Do, however, realize that there are penalties for removing artifacts from state and federal lands.  If you have WRITTEN permission, you CAN collect artifacts on private land.  That is my understanding.

On the Treasure Coast it is not extremely unusual to find artifacts on the beach or on your own property.  I've been asked several times while on the beach, about items just found by tourists.  I've found artifacts on my property and have posted some examples.  

Beachcombers, shell collectors and tourists often pick up unusual or interesting items on the beach without knowing what they are.  If you look through any large collection put together by a shell collector, there is a very good chance you will find a possible artifact or two.  

Metal detectorists do not generally go out looking for artifacts and might not recognize them.  I think I've shown that they can be difficult to identify unless you have studied a little.  I am not good at identifying stone and shell tools in particular and have to ask those who know more about them.

We all want to respect artifacts and follow the laws.  Laws can be broken unwittingly, and I hope this post will help you begin to become more familiar with artifacts so that you will be better able to identify, respect and protect artifacts and follow the applicable laws.

As a beginning, you might want to look at this summary of the Florida laws.  Here is a link.

https://dos.myflorida.com/historical/archaeology/underwater/laws/

I know that this quick summary might give rise to more questions than it answers, but that is the best I can do.

Here is one good principle: when in doubt, just take photos of the item and report your find.  Most of us carry smart phones with good cameras these days, so that is easy enough to do.

---

Keep learning,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/9/16 Report - More Old 1715 Fleet Finds Including A Fascinating Gold Ring. More On Old Button.

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

Photo taken by Darrel S.

Here is an interesting ring from a 1715 Fleet wreck.  It was found by Bob C. years ago north of Seagrape Trail after Hurricane Fay.

You can see how this ring was made.  It is not the finest workmanship.  It is basically a strip of rolled gold.  You can see where the ends overlap  The circles appear to be attached.  The edges might have been applied as gold wire.

Despite the lack of expert workmanship, this is a really excellent find.  To me it is all the more charming because it so personal.

Below is an item that was found in the same area as the above ring.

Button (Front and Back) Found by Bob C.
Photos by Darrel S.

It doesn't look like a button to me, but I haven't seen it in person and the back is corroded and covered by a crust.

Thanks to Darrel S. for submitting the information and photos.

---

I received some great emails concerning the old button I posted yesterday.  Thanks everyone.

Here is picture of some similar buttons.

Source: http://vintagebuttons.net/uniform9.html

Similar types of buttons go back to the Civil War and were used for many years.

If you look at the vintagebuttons.net web site, which I recommend, you'll see not only those shown here but also a variety of others.

The backmark is useful in helping determine age.  As you can see, the ones shown here were made by different manufacturers, including Waterbury and Kenyon.  The one shown yesterday was made by Kenyon, which, if I am correct limits the date to after 1884 or later.

I'm not button expert, so if I got any of this wrong, please let me know.

---

I took a look at some beaches today but didn't get pictures.

One beach had a broad low front, but the sand was continuing to build on the front beach and in the shallow water.  Another beach looked entirely different.  It had a steep slope on the beach front.

The salvage boats at the Nieves sites were still working to the north, up by the condos.

The surf was calm this morning.  Only about a one foot surf.

No tropical cyclone activity is expected for the next 48 hours.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net