 |
| Spike Found by Justin O. |
Here are a few recent finds, and a couple firsts for the detectorist.
Justin O. found the really cool spike shown above Thursday. He said it was his first whole spike find.
He also said he appreciated the posts on spikes and the McCarthy book information.
That is a really nice spike Justin. Notice the point on it, which is different from the more common spike finds. That type of spike, with some research, might actually be more identifiable than most. I know that spikes like that have been found at one North Broward area, but not being down there for a long time, I am not up to speed on that. Maybe someone can help.
Congrats Justin.
---
Gaylen also made some nice finds (shown below). First, the encrusted spike.
 |
| Find and photo by Gaylen C. |
Here is what Gaylen said.
Detecting more and finding more now that I've gone from my Bounty Hunter to the Nokta Legend.
Found these recently on St Lucie County beach. Looking forward to your thoughts on this nail in light of your recent blogs. Which, by the way, are great info. Thanks.
These 2 items were just a couple of yards apart, in the surf line. If your blog had not shown some nails with rectangular heads I might have just tossed this one before checking. The head is definitely rectangular, and it's a bit big. Nothing remarkable about the other end at all.
The other piece registered like a dime or quarter, and it was not magnetic. Soaked in vinegar for two days then took it to West Bay Traders. Definitely silver, no marks but pronounced really old, probably flaked off from a larger coin or other silver object and having been buried out there for a long time. Could have come from any ship that ever sank off our coast. That's my first old silver find.
Thanks for your willingness to share your experience and knowledge, it's helped me a lot.
 |
| Unidentified Silver Item Found by Gaylen. |
If you spend more time detecting, you'll make more finds. Tme on task is the biggest factor for success.
It is always important to have faith in your detector. Although I'm not one that emphasized detectors a lot, a new detector can kick-start your hunting.
I can't say much about the spike since it is so encrusted, but it does look to me like it could be iron.
Just from the photos, the "silver" object looks to me like a could be part of an old corroded plated spoon, but I can't say much about it either.
---
I received a lot of good feedback on ny posts about spikes. When I got into the McCarthy book on ship's fastenings, I was looking especially for information that might help determine the date of individual spikes. After going through the book, I am even more strongly of the opinion that you can't date a spike confidently by just looking at the spike - certainly not withn any kind of narrow tame period.
Below is some relevant information from the McCarthy book (pp. 46-47.).
We have to keep in mind the notion that the best elements of any tradition will persist over time. In that context we turn to Peter Throckmorton's comment in a chapter entitled "Romans on the Sea" appearing in a History of Seafaring Based on Underwater Archaeology, Judging from the fastenings he had seen on many vessels, such as the first-century B. C. Dramont ship, a contemporary of the Madrague de Giens ship, and Roman-period Antikythera wreck, the nails used by Roman shipwrights were identical to the square-sectioned nails used by present day boatbuilders in the Mediterranean and elsewhere. As will be seen, large nails of this variety are commonly referred to as spikes.
With respct to the composition of these ancient fastenings, A. J. Parker produced an analysis titled Ancient Shipwrecks of the Mediterranean and the Roman Provinces. In his work he notes that copper nails were found on wrecks dated between the sixth century B.C. and the fifth century C.E. - the most frequent occurrence being during the first century C.E. when fifteen of fifty-five wrecks had copper fastenings. In contrast, iron nails appeared infrequently in the first and second centuries C.E., thereafter becoming normal, as Parker observed. He also noted similar processes with respect to the "bolts or rivets" fastening frames to keels or wales. There he observed copper in use from the second century onward for another four centuries, with iron in use from the third century on.
One of the things we learn from McCarthy is that nails used by "Roman shipwrights were identical to the sqaure-sectioned nails used by present day boatbuilders in the Mediterranean and elsewhere." That must mean that it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish those nails (or spikes) even though they vary in age by many centuries.
He also says that tradition can be very resistant to change. Even when superior methods from other geographical areas are introduced, there was a strong tendency for boatbuilders to maintain their local traditions. Therefore, it might be helpful to some extent, to know the traditions of various localities at various times. Yet, due to the resistance to change, the time period would be broad rather than narrow.
Even when a certain type of spike is preferred, other factors, such as a scarcity of materials (either temporary or long term) can force the use of other than the preferred materials until there is no longer a scarcity. That can cause a confusing break in the tradition.
Also, it is not uncommon to find a mixture of materials from different time periods and localities in use on a ship. Repairs made in the New World, for example, might employ different materials than was used during construction.
In conclusion, it seems to me that it is difficult, if not impossible, to date a spike in any meaningful way by just looking at it. More is required. Knowing the ship will help determine the age of the spike, but that is often an unknown. If other items of known age were found in association with the spike, that would help. However, in the end it looks to me like the best chance of dating a spike with any degree of specificity and confidence would require a metallurgical analysis. Is the spike wrought iron, cast iron, or steel? The alloys used, especially with copper fasteners, varied over time, and might provide the best information on the time period of a spike, but that type of analysis is seldom available to the detectorist.
---
 |
| Source: nhc.noaa.gov |
We have two named tropical storms on the map now - Bonne and Colin.Bonne will move out into the Pacific, and Colin, to the northeast.
Expect nothing more than a two-foot surf on the Treasure Coast for the next week.
Good hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
