Diving into the Mary Rose logs

Dive logs were typically recorded on paper; however, one resourceful alternative was found when those working on site did not have anything else to hand – this record was written on the back of a plastic bottle!

Unfortunately, we no longer have the bottle, but we do have the photograph of it and can see the various underwater points of reference that were recorded at that point in time.

As a document capturing where material was recovered form, the dive logs are invaluable.

Some dive logs (like 82/SC/0044) brilliantly illustrate how the layers of sediment accumulated over time, the oldest layer at the bottom and the newest at the top (this forms the site’s stratigraphy).

The form, material, design and decoration of artefacts can help indicate their date, but stratigraphy can also be used to inform this. In the case of the ceramic jar fragment 82A2577, both these methods can be used – it clearly has post-Tudor text on it and was recovered from a layer identified as post-Tudor within the dive log (82/SC/0131AB).

We can confidently note that this artefact would not be part of the original ship’s assemblage. However, a lot of the post-Tudor material is still interesting as it offers an insight into the social history of Portsmouth harbour!

When people think of sunken ships, part of the romanticised image of them almost always includes treasure!

Although, the entire Mary Rose collection is incredibly precious, it must have been particularly special to have “found [a] gold coin” as noted in 80/7/0201 – in this case a Crown of the Double Rose – one of the 30 gold coins recovered from the wreck site.

Some dive logs give an impression of just how challenging underwater excavation could be – in this case a “tigg” or serving tankard had to be excavated one stave at a time.

The plan was to excavate it as a complete object but this turned out to be impossible due to its proximity to the remains of the ship’s dog (“Hatch”) and a chest.

Records like this are so important for explaining the process of excavation and understanding the archaeological associations of objects.

The reconstructed tankard and the chest can now be seen in the showcase for the Master Gunner at the Museum. The dog can be seen in the Carpenter’s showcase.