Accession Number

1986.008.1218a

Creation Date

circa 1700

Description

Two pieces. "VIII" and "I" (see also 1986.008.1218b). The "I" recovered separately from the "VIII".

Exhibition Label

The draught of a ship is the depth of the vessel below the waterline, measured vertically to the lowest part of the hull (i.e. from the surface of the water to the bottom-most face of the keel). The measurement denotes the least amount of water required for a ship to float. This marker is a Roman numeral eight, indicating that its bottom edge was set on either the stem or sternpost eight feet above the lowest part of the ship. It is made of flat, 3 millimeter thick, chisel-cut lead, and numerous nail-holes indicate how it was attached to the hull. This marker is one of two recovered from the wreck of the London-based slaver, sunk near Key West, Florida in 1700.