Historical Research
Historical research plays a key
role in any maritime archaeology program. Studying the documentary
record not only helps us locate undiscovered shipwrecks, but allows us
to place our archaeological findings into a richer historical context
which leads to a broader, more insightful, and more multi-dimensional
understanding of the past. Historic maps from the 16th century onwards
helps us see how the coastline has physically changed, and also the
changing attitudes of how St. Augustinians perceived the maritime
landscape around them. Letters and government reports provide us with
insight into frontier life in colonial St. Augustine, and often detail
the tribulations and final disposition of wrecked ships. Port records,
newspapers and insurance papers also provide accounts of lost ships, as
well as detailed records of maritime trade and changing consumer
behavior. Engravings, paintings, and historic photographs add a visual
dimension to these social activities. All of these types of archival
records, when coupled with the physical evidence excavated by
archaeologists from earth or sea, provide a remarkably enlightening view
of the complex cultures whose transportation, communication, and
exchange networks became increasingly global from the colonial period
onwards.
Dr. Sam Turner, the Director of Archaeology at LAMP, is also an
acclaimed historian and trained paleographer. Paleography, or the study
of ancient script, is a necessary skill for any historian studying St.
Augustine, as the transcription and translation of 16th-19th century
Spanish manuscripts are vital to our understanding of the former
colony. Dr. Turner’s dissertation research focused on inter-island
Spanish Caribbean trade, some of which related to individuals involved
in the early history of Florida such as Ponce de Leon. One of Dr.
Turner’s current projects is the transcription of St. Augustine’s port
records from the Second Spanish Period (1784-1821). These records
promise to provide great insight into the complex trading relations of
this period, when St. Augustine truly became a multicultural settlement
characterized by the amalgamation of Spanish, English, Minorcan,
American, African-American, and Seminole cultures. Another current
project is the archival research into the history and loss of the
Confederate privateer Jefferson Davis, the most successful privateer of
the Civil War. This work is being carried out not only by Dr. Turner
but by several volunteers working under his supervision, and new
documentary discoveries are being made on a regular basis. It is hoped
that this research will help narrow down the search area for a future
remote sensing survey that may eventually lead to the discovery of the
ship itself.
LAMP also maintains a cooperative agreement with Dr. John de Bry of the
Center for Historical Archaeology. Dr. de Bry is an accomplished
paleographer specializing in early French and Spanish manuscripts. One
of our mutual goals is to continue the search for the lost French fleet
of Jean Ribault, lost south of St. Augustine in 1565.
Please explore the following links to learn more about historical research at LAMP.
A Brief Historical Overview of St. Augustine, America’s Oldest Port
The Search for the Jefferson Davis in the National Archives
All Ghosts, No Gimmicks!
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Donate Support Maritime Education, Research and Preservation in the Nation's Oldest Port
Video: Summer Camp 2010 Be a Maritime Scientist
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