19th Century Wooden Ship Sheathing. A Case of Study: The Materials of Puerto Pirámides 1, Península Valdés

Abstract

Copper alloy sheathing used to protect ships hulls from different wood-infesting organisms (borers and foulers) was widespread since the late 18th century. In this work the characterization results of a sheathing fragment and tacks from the site Puerto Pirámides 1, Peninsula Valdes (Chubut Province, Argentina) are presented. Through metallographic analysis by means of Light Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and chemical composition determination by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) it was possible to identify compositions and microstructures different from those of artefacts of similar kind found in shipwrecks of the same period.