| Summary |
Sitting at the northern end of the Florida Reef, Biscayne National Park is home to over 100 submerged archaeological sites. Part of the park's ongoing efforts to study, interpret, and stabilize submerged resources threatened by intensified storm activity and looting is the controlled excavation and in-situ preservation of previously disturbed sites. This thesis addresses the documentation and stabilization of Pacific Reef Wreck, a mid-19th century vessel targeted by both historic and modern salvage. Park employees have monitored Pacific Reef Wreck (BISC-029) since the 1970s, yet they have only conducted preliminary archaeological work and no detailed site report exists. Resource managers visiting the site have noted disturbance including sediment loss, prop wash, and looting, however National Park Service personnel have not recorded any quantifiable estimate of damage or data loss in annual reports. While preliminary baseline data suggest that the site remains in good condition despite a noticeable loss of overburden, there has been no collection of quantifiable data addressing deterioration, history, or vessel identity. As such, staff determined that BISC-29 would be the focus of NPS field operations during the summer of 2016. The aim of the 2016 fieldwork was site stabilization and data collection emphasizing vessel construction, nationality, and identity. The site, dated to the early 19th century, represents an important but little researched era of ship design and maritime commerce in park history. This thesis aims to analyze the results of the 2016 fieldwork in order to determine the site's significance and to provide park staff with resources for public interpretation as well as park area usage during the early 19th century. Furthermore, this thesis addresses the ongoing issue of illicit salvage in park waters and the need for new management strategies of submerged cultural resources in Biscayne National Park. |
