Iron and Steamship Archaeology

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

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2. Introduction

   Pages 1-6

3. Xantho and Broadhurst in context

   Pages 7-47

4. Xantho—The transformations

   Pages 49-65

5. The wreck examined

   Pages 67-88

6. Site formation processes

   Pages 89-109

7. The investigation continues in the archives

   Pages 111-127

8. Excavations at the site

   Pages 129-150

9. Excavation in the laboratory

   Pages 151-183

10. Conclusion

    Pages 185-200

11. Back Matter

    Pages 201-234

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In the early 1980s the author was asked to investigate the newly discovered wreck of the Xantho, an iron screw steamship active off the Australian coast during the period 1848 to 1872, and to develop a strategy to stop the looting that was occurring at the site. This relatively straightforward assignment turned into a long-term research program for applying maritime archaeology to the conservation of iron-hulled wrecks.

• SS Xantho
• excavation process
• iron screw steamship
• iron wrecks
• iron-hulled wreck
• maritime archaeology
• steamship archaeology
• wrecksite analysis

`McCarthy has done an outstanding job detailing an excavation form first notification to the last conservation stages. This might serve well as a text in maritime archaeology theory, maritime history, or conversation courses. All collections.'
Choice, 38:11 (2001)

• Western Australian Maritime Museum, Fremantle, Australia

  Michael McCarthy

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