The Island Wreck Site Underwater And Associated Photographs - The Cargo Of Granite Pre-Cut Blocks

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Over 60 pre-cut granite blocks were located on the Shipscape and show the exact route the ship took during the wrecking process. Granite blocks and cannons were in two initial piles where they were thrown off both sides of the ship at the same time. From there there is a zig zag trail of blocks ending up in the shallows close to shore, which is where we expect to find more artefacts.

The majority of the granite blocks were pre cut on all sides. Some of them were rough cut others had exact 90 degree corners and parallel sides. The sizes ranged drastically from small blocks to blocks over a meter in length.  There were three blocks which were broken, interesting enough it must have happened during the wrecking process, as the two sections of the same block were found.

Whilst to some these blocks are simply stones, one has to remember that they were packed with care and tiny gaps between each stone in France. When the wrecking happened they had to be brought up on deck and thrown over the side, in a storm probably at night.....

Below we show some of the French granite blocks which were cargo on this ship destined for the new French fortification at Cape Francais.

ADMAT's maritime archaeological  work on this wreck site was assisted by ADMAT-FRANCE a non profit organisation based in the Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

ADMAT-FRANCE is a sub division of the Anglo ~ Danish Maritime Archaeological Team

ADMAT is delighted to have an association with Muséum Nationald’Histoire Naturelle at Paris, départememt Préhistoire, UMR-CNRS 7194.