The remains of a ship discovered in the Orkney Islands in Scotland have been identified as the Earl of Chatham, an 18th-century whaling ship that previously served in the Royal Navy as HMS Hind.
David Walker. A local man's photograph of the shipwreck shows his dog Ned.
According to Wessex Archaeology Service, which was called in to examine the wreck, the central section of the hull was found washed upside down on the beach, with its “shattered keel” still visible. Wooden dowels were used to hold the planks together, suggesting the vessel was built between the 16th and 19th centuries. Archaeologists believe it was most likely built between the 17th and 18th centuries.
Using dendrochronology to analyze the growth rings of wood, archaeologists were able to further refine the ship's construction date. Some of the trees used to build it were felled between 1748 and 1762, while others were cut between the 1750s and 1780s. Analysis of the wood also showed that the trees came from the south and southwest of England.
Archaeologists then turned to historical records and archives to determine the identity of the ship. According to a press release from Wessex Archaeological Service, they have now definitively identified the identity of the shipwreck victim at Sanday.
“All the evidence gathered points to the vessel found being the Earl of Chatham,” the press release explained, “a London whaler that, prior to her whaling days, served in the Royal Navy as HMS Hind.”
The Rise and Fall of the Earl of Chatham
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