Original scientific paper
Something about the Merchant Ship Wrecked in the Koločep Channel near Dubrovnik at the End of 17th or the Beginning of 18th centuries
Anica Kisić
; Institute for Historical Sciences of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Abstract
In the hydro-archaeological action at the locality of Drevina in 1976, the remains of a sunken merchant ship were found and the total ship cargo packed in 47 wooden boxes. It is the merchandise of the North European and Venetian origin supposed to be transported to a port of some East Mediterranean country or to Constantinople. Here the authress deals only with the following: the period and identification of the shipwreck, the elaboration of the ship's armament and inventory and the cargo of glassware.
The discovered bronze jettons, made in Nurnberg, put the shipwreck at the very end of 17th or at the beginning of 18th centuries. The ship's nationality could not be established as there are no traces of wreck in the documents of the Dubrovnik Archives.
Four frontally charged guns made of cast iron show the standards of ship artillery armament. The most important pieces of the ship inventory are: two pairs of compasses, a sun-dial, lens probably of the North European origin, and Italian and Dutch glass and ceramic goods for kitchen, table and apothecary's use. These show the width of supplying the ships with requisites corresponding to the general standards and navigation necessities of the time.
The load of glassware consisting of different goblets, lids and parts of vessels and bottles, looking-glass ornaments, then a great number of pearls made of glass-metal as well as smaller looking-glasses, show the characteristics of the Murano production of 17th century, mostly »vetro comune« intended for general consumption. There are also some types of exquisite drinking glasses and glass ornaments for luxurious Venetian looking-glasses.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
243232
URI
Publication date:
30.6.1982.
Visits: 971 *