A re-examination of maritime archaeological material from National Museums Scotland, by Ella Paul

Описание: Paper presented at the NAS Conference 2025.

National Museums Scotland (NMS) holds a remarkable collection of early modern maritime archaeological material. It includes finds from three warships wrecked in the Sound of Mull in the seventeenth-century: an unknown warship (lost c.1640), the Swan (lost 1653), and the Dartmouth (lost 1690). The material comprises a breadth of object types from coins to ballast and dress accessories to structural timbers, representing the most significant collection of its type in Scotland.

Each wreck assemblage has, for the first time, received dedicated curatorial attention which considers it within the broader context of NMS’ maritime archaeological collections.

This paper therefore highlights ongoing and future research strands, including:
Microscopic analysis of coinage and associated organic material from Cromwellian ship the Swan
Recent conservation and storage challenges of structural timbers from the Dartmouth
Future object-focused analysis (e.g. GC-MS analysis of surviving ointment from the Swan and dendrological/historic woodworking analysis of the Dartmouth timbers)
Current and future display of the material, in both physical and digital settings

This ‘work in progress’ paper also features several key finds and ultimately positions NMS’ wreck material as a significant, long under-studied maritime archaeological collection relating to seafaring and conflict in early modern Britain.

The 2025 conference was funded by Historic England's Heritage Protection Commissions Fund and the UK Government. The 2025 event was generously sponsored by MSDS Marine & Heritage, MAST , PADI , The Mary Rose, and the Sub-Aqua Association.