County: Donegal Site name: Rutland Island Wreck
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 10E0442 ext.
Author: Connie Kelleher
Site type: Shipwreck
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 570693m, N 914157m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.974190, -8.457749
The Underwater Archaeology Unit of the Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht continued its work on the site known as the Rutland Island Wreck in August 2012 in Burtonport, Co. Donegal. The work was again carried out in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Ireland/INFOMAR, and their survey vessels RV Keary and RV Geo. The local divers who discovered the wreck were also on hand with assistance and the local residents of Burtonport and the islands continue to be directly involved with local exhibitions, displays and talks provided during Heritage Week, which coincided with the UAU’s work at the site.
The 2012 season on the site continued with the internal excavation of the wreck itself, with the areas from the stern to mid-ships and at the bow extended from those opened in 2011. Finds from the 2012 work on the site were dominated by non-coherent fragments of broken-up barrels, including intact hoops and disarticulated staves. These were primarily encountered within the lower hold amid-ships and, following recording in detail, most were left in situ and covered over when excavation was complete. A number of hoops and staves were recovered for analysis and some of the staves retain maker’s or merchant’s marks incised on their outer face. More lead musket shot, fragments of pottery and leather pieces from shoes were also recovered.
The long-term protection and preservation of the wreck was part of the 2012 strategy for the site and Dr. David Gregory of the National Museum of Denmark joined the UAU team to advise on in situ preservation. He carried out on-site analysis of marine borer infestation, including taking a number of core samples from within the wreck structure, and advised on a methodology for protecting the wreck site over time. Sacrificial timber samples were also placed around the wreck to form part of ongoing analysis of marine borer activity and these are to be checked intermittently to ascertain the level and extent of such organisms within the given environment in Rutland Harbour.
The UAU is scheduled to return to the site again in the summer of 2013 to complete its work on the Rutland Island shipwreck.
Recording of barrel hoop within Rutland Island Wreck prior to recovery. Image by C. Kelleher.
Underwater Archaeology Unit, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht, room G19, New Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry
