"The Bower Yet Remains": Historical and Archaeological Technomic Analysis of Anchor Design Trends in The Long Nineteenth Century

Abstract

In the course of undertaking maritime archaeological research, archaeologists often find that anchors are without context or provenance and that the only potential identifying features lie in an anchor's design. This study attempts to create an avenue through which such anchors tentatively can be dated. Research is specifically aimed to further the study of anchors within the scope of maritime commerce during the "long nineteenth century" (1789-1914) by focusing on technological change. Historical and archaeological anchor data pertaining to Anglo-American anchor design was collected from Washington, D.C., and North Carolina and analyzed in light of historical trends.