Recently, while volunteering with the collections/curatorial team, I was given the opportunity to work on a showcase containing objects from our secondary collection- a collection of objects that were not found on board the Mary Rose but that have a connection to the ship and its history. The showcase highlights archaeological illustration, and in this blog, I will provide a glimpse into why this method of recording artefacts is so useful.
Archaeological illustrations form a large part of our secondary collection and they help us understand the features of artefacts recovered. Alongside photography, illustration is an essential method of recording finds. Through illustration, archaeologists are able to record subtle details like wear, personal markings, texture and patterns that may be missed in photos
Many of the artefacts were illustrated soon after they were raised from the seabed. Measured drawings were taken directly onto drafting film such as Permatrace. These scale drawings are essential because objects could shrink, lose detail, or even change shape during the conservation process, therefore many of the leather and wooden objects were drawn early, whilst being kept wet It took years for everything to be treated and the drawings are useful for the study or reconstruction of objects. Many artefacts were drawn and re-evaluated several times over the years where details may have been missed in the past, or had become more visible post-treatment.
There were many illustrators involved with the Mary Rose Trust over 44 years, and together they have produced over 10,000 illustrations! In working on the new showcase in the Mary Rose Museum, I had the task of selecting only 6 of these archaeological drawings to display alongside replicas of the objects they depict, a few of which will be featured below…
