WATER CRAFT EQUIPMENT

Unique ID: MAS-D100049

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Published

Two circular wooden pulley sheaves. It is not clear whether these wooden pulley sheaves were a pair or from single sheave pulleys. Generally made from ash (Fraxinus), hickory (Carya) in the case of North America, or Lignum vitae. Lignum vitae, Latin for 'wood of life', is a trade wood, also called Guayacan or Guaiacum from the trees of the genus Guaiacum. The trees are indigenous to the Caribbean and the northern coast of South America and have been an important export crop to Europe since the beginning of the 16th century due to its extraordinary combination of strength, toughness, and density. It was also considered to have self lubricating properties. Ash though tough and elastic is prone to wet rot. Roller bushes were also introduced during the 1880s to reduce friction on the sheave pin. A sheave's size depended mostly on the rope it handled, the higher up the rigging the block was, and the lighter the ropes, the smaller they were. Sheaves also shrank in size as rope quality improved over time, and the introduction of iron parts also contributed to this process. However, many ships continued to use larger blocks due to their making the work easier and therefore requiring less crew to operate.

Notes:

This item was found along with a wooden belaying pin (MAS-D100032) and a marble tile (MAS-D100050).

Class: WATER CRAFT
Sub class: SHIP

Subsequent actions

Current location of find: With finder
Subsequent action after recording: Submitted as wreck to the Receiver of Wreck

Wreck details

Droit number: 032/17

Chronology

Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: NINETEENTH CENTURY

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 2

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 14th March 2017

Personal details

Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: A BB
Identified by: A BB
Secondary identifier: V L

Other reference numbers

Droit ID: 032/17

Materials and construction

Primary material: Wood
Completeness: Uncertain

Spatial metadata

References cited

No references cited so far.

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