Thursday, January 22, 2015
Dover Bronze Age Boat Replica Built Not Floating
[Dear readers: Im sorry about posting so rarely during the past few months. Lifes busy, as Im sure you understand. Heres a quick one just to remind you that Im here, and a promise to do a more substantial post as soon as I can. Thanks for your continued interest and your patience.]
Ive written before about the Dover Bronze Age Boat. This is my favorite ancient boat, mainly because I was among the first journalists on the scene, and it is the only marine archaeological excavation that I have experienced up close (an experience which filled me with awe). The replica of the boat that has been under construction (which I reported here as being a full-size reproduction, but which was, in fact, built at half-size) is now essentially complete, except that it doesnt float.
As shown in the Kickstarter video, the replicas sponsors now plan to disassemble, caulk, and reassemble the boat in water-tight condition, and then to campaign it along Englands south coast. The video shows parts of the boat in fine detail, including some provocative internal X-frames. Id like to know the evidence or the reasoning behind this unusual feature. Also of interest, but unfortunately not shown, is the archaeologists interpretation of the unusual yoke-shaped feature on the upper side of the bottoms bow end, and how it fit together with other planks in closing in the bow.
Ive also written previously about the replica Ferriby Boats. Also from Britains Bronze Age, the Ferriby boats exhibit a similar technological approach but different engineering solutions to the problems of edge-joining and waterproofing the joints between heavy hewn planks. It would be interesting to test Ferriby and a full-size Dover replica side by side and compare their capabilities.
Ive written before about the Dover Bronze Age Boat. This is my favorite ancient boat, mainly because I was among the first journalists on the scene, and it is the only marine archaeological excavation that I have experienced up close (an experience which filled me with awe). The replica of the boat that has been under construction (which I reported here as being a full-size reproduction, but which was, in fact, built at half-size) is now essentially complete, except that it doesnt float.
As shown in the Kickstarter video, the replicas sponsors now plan to disassemble, caulk, and reassemble the boat in water-tight condition, and then to campaign it along Englands south coast. The video shows parts of the boat in fine detail, including some provocative internal X-frames. Id like to know the evidence or the reasoning behind this unusual feature. Also of interest, but unfortunately not shown, is the archaeologists interpretation of the unusual yoke-shaped feature on the upper side of the bottoms bow end, and how it fit together with other planks in closing in the bow.
Ive also written previously about the replica Ferriby Boats. Also from Britains Bronze Age, the Ferriby boats exhibit a similar technological approach but different engineering solutions to the problems of edge-joining and waterproofing the joints between heavy hewn planks. It would be interesting to test Ferriby and a full-size Dover replica side by side and compare their capabilities.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment