Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
 |
The Spanish brought along vast quantities of iron on their long treks through the American interior. On his ill-fated expedition to La Florida in 1559, Tristán de Luna brought along more than 60,000 nails, 1,332 horseshoes and over 1,400 pounds of mule shoes. Florida Museum image by Charles Cobb |
Below are some excerpts from a great article about dating iron artifacts., but the article includes a lot more that you'll find interesting such as the various Spanish expeditions into North Amercica and the adoption of metal detecting techniques for archaeology.
Iron artifacts from early Spanish expeditions in North America often look too similar to tell apart, making it difficult to establish the exact routes that were taken.
In a new study, archaeologists analyzed iron artifacts spanning more than 400 years of American history using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Their results show that differences in the purity of iron and the trace elements it contains can be reliably used as a diagnostic feature to identify iron artifacts from different time periods.
This method may be sensitive enough to distinguish iron artifacts from Spanish expeditions separated by only a few decades, but the study authors say more data needs to be collected to be sure...
The Spanish left behind detailed records of their exploits in the Americas, but because they only had a vague sense of where they were at any given time, the exact routes they took remains unclear...
“A wrought-iron nail from the 1500s looks like a wrought iron nail from the 1600s,” ...
Nails account for more than half of all metal artifacts found in North America...
Iron artifacts from early Spanish expeditions in North America often look too similar to tell apart, making it difficult to establish the exact routes that were taken.
In a new study, archaeologists analyzed iron artifacts spanning more than 400 years of American history using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Their results show that differences in the purity of iron and the trace elements it contains can be reliably used as a diagnostic feature to identify iron artifacts from different time periods.
This method may be sensitive enough to distinguish iron artifacts from Spanish expeditions separated by only a few decades, but the study authors say more data needs to be collected to be sure...
“A wrought-iron nail from the 1500s looks like a wrought iron nail from the 1600s,” ...
Nails account for more than half of all metal artifacts found in North America...
 |
| The Spanish undertook several expeditions through the American continents during the early 16th century, many of which overlapped. Map based on "The Luna Expedition: An Overview from the Documents" by James Worth |
Here is the link for more of that article.
The article also discusses how archaeologists finally adopted of metal detectors as a useful technique.
---
Fragments of a 1900s sea mine was recently discovered on Angler's Cove Beach.
Erosion from Hurricane Erin uncovered the mine.
Here is the link for more about that.
Thanks to DJ for that link.
Additional research suggests that the mine dated back to World War II or earlier and was a Hertz Horns mine, a type developed in Germany in the late 19th Century.
I hope they open the North Causeway Fort Pierce bridge before long. That bridge being closed is a pain.
===
 |
| Surf Chart for Fort Pierce South Jetty Area From SurfGuru.com. |
As you can see, the surf has decreased locally. Generally speaking, as you go north to North Florida and especially to North Carolina, the waves were bigger. They undoubtedly had some good hunting on the Outer Banks after Erin.
 |
| Source:nhc.noaa.gov. |
Erin is gone.
I was interested in that system down by South America but the ECMWF model shows it staying to the south and fizzling out before long.
Good hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net