Metal shipwrecks in Patagonia, Argentina: contributions to their research and management

Abstract

While iron and steamship archaeology dates from the mid‐1970s, the archaeological study of late 19th and early 20th century metal‐hulled vessels, especially those off the coast of South America is in its infancy. This paper deals with two steel‐hulled shipwrecks located on the coast of Patagonia, southern Argentina, from anthropological, archaeological, and site management perspectives. The chief research questions discussed relate to each vessel's role and use on a remote coast, the technology involved in their operation, and the site formation processes following the vessels’ loss. Their management as a recently acknowledged part of the region's ‘patrimony’ (cultural heritage) and their presentation to an increasingly aware public are also discussed in the context of each site's unique location.

Resumen

Naufragios de metal en la Patagonia Argentina: contribución a su investigación y manejo

Aunque la arqueología de barcos de hierro y de vapor data de mediados de 1970, el estudio arqueológico de las embarcaciones de casco de metal de finales del siglo XIX e inicios del XX, especialmente aquellas de la costa de Suramérica, aún se halla en su infancia. Este artículo trata sobre dos naufragios de casco de acero hallados en la costa de Patagonia, sur de Argentina, desde las perspectivas antropológica, arqueológica y de manejo de sitio. Las principales preguntas discutidas se relacionan con el rol y el uso de cada embarcación en una costa remota, la tecnología involucrada en su operación, y los procesos de formación de sitio sucedidos tras la pérdida de las embarcaciones. Su manejo como ‘patrimonio’ (herencia cultural) de la región recientemente reconocido y su presentación a un público cada vez más consciente, también se discuten en el contexto de la localización única de cada sitio.

Palabras clave: arqueología, embarcaciones, hierro, acero, Patagonia, Argentina

抽象

阿根廷巴塔哥尼亚金属沉船的研究与管理

铁船和汽船考古发端于1970年中期, 而针对19世纪末和20世纪初的金属船体, 特别是南美洲近岸船的考古学研究还处于起步阶段。本文从人类学、考古学和遗址管理的角度探讨了两艘位-阿根廷南部巴塔哥尼亚海岸的钢壳沉船。主要的研究论题涉及每艘船的用途及其在近岸的作用, 其使用中所应用的相关技术以及沉船遗址形成的过程。本文还在每艘沉船遗址独特地理位置的背景下, 讨-了它们作-该地区 (文化) “遗产”一部分, 其管理近期得到的认可以及面向兴趣日渐浓厚的公众所做的讲解。

关键词: 考古学, 船舶, 铁质, 钢质, 巴塔哥尼亚, 阿根廷

阿根廷巴塔哥尼亞金屬沉船的研究與管理

鐵船和汽船考古發端于1970年中期, 而針對19世紀末和20世紀初的金屬船體, 特別是南美洲近岸船的考古學研究還處-起步階段。本文從人類學、考古學和遺址管理的角度探討了兩艘位-阿根廷南部巴塔哥尼亞海岸的鋼殼沉船。主要的研究論題涉及每艘船的用途及其在近岸的作用, 其使用中所應用的相關技術以及沉船遺址形成的過程。本文還在每艘沉船遺址獨特地理位置的背景下, 討-了它們作爲該地區 (文化) “遺産”一部分, 其管理近期得到的認可以及面向興趣日漸濃厚的公衆所做的講解。

關-詞: 考古學, 船舶, 鐵質, 鋼質, 巴塔哥尼亞, 阿根廷

ملخص

Key words:

• archaeology
• ships
• iron
• steel
• Patagonia
• Argentina

Acknowledgements

The work presented here was mainly funded by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, CONICET, Argentina. The authors also wish to thank the Argentine Navy, J. Riley, M. Águila, N. Ciarlo, C. Dellacasa, H. De Rosa, J. Frere, H. García, S. Zabala, Álvarez family, Coronato family, F. Requelme, and the owners, managers and staff of the Hotel Faro Punta Delgada. Many thanks to Mack McCarthy for his encouragement and insightful comments.

Notes

1 Both case studies are part of the PhD Thesis research for the University of Buenos Aires conducted by archaeologist Guillermo Gutiérrez under the co‐supervision of Dr Dolores Elkin and Dr Monica Grosso, in the frame of the project Underwater Cultural Heritage in the region of Puerto Madryn and Peninsula Valdés, Province of Chubut (Director: D. Elkin; co‐director: Architect C. Murray).

2 The ship was named after Julio Argentino Roca, an army general who served two terms as President of Argentina (1880 to 1886 and 1898 to 1904). During his rule he stimulated major infrastructure projects of railroads and port facilities; increased foreign investment, particularly from Great Britain and large‐scale immigration from southern Europe, among other major enterprises. Roca is also known for directing the ‘Conquest of the Desert’, a series of military campaigns against the indigenous peoples of Patagonia.

3 These studies were carried out at the School of Engineering of the University of Buenos Aires in collaboration with Engineer Horacio De Rosa and the Archaeometallurgy team under his direction.

4 This statement is based on the extant remains, making it impossible to establish where the frames terminated.

5 No underwater surveys have been yet conducted, either at the Presidente Roca, nor the Kaiser sites.