Hunting for Blackbeard
A mysterious shipwreck rests off the coast of North Carolina. Did the ship once belong to Blackbeard-a feared pirate who robbed dozens of ships, threatening the crews with murder?
"Head for land!" hollers a tall man on a large wooden sailing ship. Blackbeard laughs greedily. Crews from nine ships have just handed him their gold and silver--rather than get pelted by his cannonballs.
Suddenly, the ship thuds to a stop. It is stuck on a sandbar--an area of shallow water. Quickly, Blackbeard loads his loot and crew of 100 pirates onto a smaller boat in his fleet, and sails away. The stranded pirate ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, slowly falls over, floods with water, and sinks.
Now, imagine the same spot in November, 1996. Archaeologists (see vocabulary box on p. 7) are scuba diving in search of Blackbeard's ship. They spot old, crusty cannons and anchors sticking out of a mound of sand. Swimming closer, they discover a few soggy, splintered beams of wood. Could these sunken remains be from the Queen Anne's Revenge (QAR)?
Since 1996, scientists have been diving for, cleaning, and studying artifacts from the mystery wreck. "We're hunting for evidence that proves the ship was Blackbeard's," says Richard Lawrence. the project's head archaeologist.
To find facts about Blackbeard, Lawrence's team studied historical documents--including reports from Blackbeard's crewmen. Read on to discover the facts, and the clues that link these facts to the mystery wreck.
Fact: The QAR was hauling about 20 pounds of gold dust--tiny flakes that can be melted into jewelry or gold bars.
Clue: Flakes of gold were scattered at the wreck site.
It was easy for divers to spot glittering gold in the murky water. Most metals corrode in water, becoming dark and dull. But gold stays shiny. The gold may have been part of Blackbeard's stolen loot. Still, many old ships carried gold dust.
Fact: The QAR sank in June, 1718.
Clue: Many artifacts from the mystery wreck are from the early 1700s.
Divers excavated artifacts that had dates close to 1718. "We found a metal bell (p. 7, top) with '1709' on it," Lawrence says. Even better, divers haven't found artifacts dated after 1718. These artifacts would prove the ship isn't the QAR.
Fact: The QAR carried about 22 cannons.
Clue: Scientists have found 18 cannons so far.
"Records show that 12 ships sank in Beaufort Inlet in the 1700s," says Lawrence. "Of these, only Blackbeard's ship had more than 18 cannons."
The cannons prove that the mystery wreck isn't any of the other 11 recorded ships. "However, there might have been unrecorded ships that sank in the Inlet," warns Lawrence.
Fact: The QAR was about 3 school buses long.
Clue: The mystery wreck has four anchors. Each is about 4 m (12 ft) long.
Big ships need big, heavy anchors to pull them to a stop. The mystery wreck's anchors are too heavy for a small ship.
Fact: The QAR was probably built in Europe.
Clue: The archaeologists think some of the mystery wreck's wood grew in Europe.
Much of the shipwreck's wood is gone forever. Tiny ocean creatures called shipworms ate through every beam that wasn't buried under sand. But in 1998, hurricane-caused waves swirled up sand, revealing the buried part of the ship.
A lab test proved some uncovered wood is red pine. In the 1700s, only Canada and Europe sold red pine.
Final Proof?
With all these clues, Lawrence believes that the mystery wreck is probably Blackbeard's ship. But his team still hasn't found proof, such as an artifact with Blackbeard's name scratched into it. Proof could also be a plate, bell, or other artifact with the name Concorde--the name of the QAR when Blackbeard stole it from French seamen.
Lawrence's team plans to dive again this summer and fall. They hope to find proof that the wreck is Blackbeard's. Lawrence also hopes that new artifacts will tell scientists more about pirates' clothes, weapons, instruments, and more. "The best information we have about pirates could be lying at the bottom of the sea," he says.
Stop and Think: Why doesn't each of the artifacts prove that the mystery wreck was Blackbeard's?
FLAGS OF SURRENDER
Every pirate ship had its own Jolly Roger, or flag, to frighten ships into handing over their loot. The flags sent a chilling message: torture and death to those who don't cooperate!
WHAT WERE PIRATES LIKE
Karen Van Eaton's 4th-grade class in Cedar Park, Texas had these questions. So we asked pirate expert and author Margarette Lincoln:
Who were pirates and when were they around?
Pirates are thieves who steal from ships. They have been around as long as people have shipped goods by sea. Most famous pirates worked in the late 1600s and early 1700s. A few modern pirates rob ships even today.
Did pirates really bury their treasure?
Most pirates spent their stolen money celebrating with food and drink. But one--Captain Kidd--buried treasure on Gardiner's Island near Long Island, New York. The treasure has never been found.
Did Blackbeard have many enemies?
Lots. Even his own men were afraid of him, especially after he shot a member of his crew! Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard caught Blackbeard in October, 1718. It took Maynard 20 sword slashes and 5 shots to kill the pirate. He hung Blackbeard's head the ship's sail as an example to pirates everywhere!
Did every pirate carry a parrot?
Only the very best-dressed pirates did! Many pirates loved flashy, bright clothes and silk ribbons. A colorful parrot from their tropical travels added to their outfit. But I think parrots were probably a messy fashion accessory!
Margarette Lincoln researches sea history for the National Maritime Museum in London, England.
Raising The Ship
"Head for land!" hollers a tall man on a large wooden sailing ship. Blackbeard laughs greedily. Crews from nine ships have just handed him their gold and silver--rather than get pelted by his cannonballs.
Suddenly, the ship thuds to a stop. It is stuck on a sandbar--an area of shallow water. Quickly, Blackbeard loads his loot and crew of 100 pirates onto a smaller boat in his fleet, and sails away. The stranded pirate ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, slowly falls over, floods with water, and sinks.
Now, imagine the same spot in November, 1996. Archaeologists (see vocabulary box on p. 7) are scuba diving in search of Blackbeard's ship. They spot old, crusty cannons and anchors sticking out of a mound of sand. Swimming closer, they discover a few soggy, splintered beams of wood. Could these sunken remains be from the Queen Anne's Revenge (QAR)?
Since 1996, scientists have been diving for, cleaning, and studying artifacts from the mystery wreck. "We're hunting for evidence that proves the ship was Blackbeard's," says Richard Lawrence. the project's head archaeologist.
To find facts about Blackbeard, Lawrence's team studied historical documents--including reports from Blackbeard's crewmen. Read on to discover the facts, and the clues that link these facts to the mystery wreck.
Fact: The QAR was hauling about 20 pounds of gold dust--tiny flakes that can be melted into jewelry or gold bars.
Clue: Flakes of gold were scattered at the wreck site.
It was easy for divers to spot glittering gold in the murky water. Most metals corrode in water, becoming dark and dull. But gold stays shiny. The gold may have been part of Blackbeard's stolen loot. Still, many old ships carried gold dust.
Fact: The QAR sank in June, 1718.
Clue: Many artifacts from the mystery wreck are from the early 1700s.
Divers excavated artifacts that had dates close to 1718. "We found a metal bell (p. 7, top) with '1709' on it," Lawrence says. Even better, divers haven't found artifacts dated after 1718. These artifacts would prove the ship isn't the QAR.
Fact: The QAR carried about 22 cannons.
Clue: Scientists have found 18 cannons so far.
"Records show that 12 ships sank in Beaufort Inlet in the 1700s," says Lawrence. "Of these, only Blackbeard's ship had more than 18 cannons."
The cannons prove that the mystery wreck isn't any of the other 11 recorded ships. "However, there might have been unrecorded ships that sank in the Inlet," warns Lawrence.
Fact: The QAR was about 3 school buses long.
Clue: The mystery wreck has four anchors. Each is about 4 m (12 ft) long.
Big ships need big, heavy anchors to pull them to a stop. The mystery wreck's anchors are too heavy for a small ship.
Fact: The QAR was probably built in Europe.
Clue: The archaeologists think some of the mystery wreck's wood grew in Europe.
Much of the shipwreck's wood is gone forever. Tiny ocean creatures called shipworms ate through every beam that wasn't buried under sand. But in 1998, hurricane-caused waves swirled up sand, revealing the buried part of the ship.
A lab test proved some uncovered wood is red pine. In the 1700s, only Canada and Europe sold red pine.
Final Proof?
With all these clues, Lawrence believes that the mystery wreck is probably Blackbeard's ship. But his team still hasn't found proof, such as an artifact with Blackbeard's name scratched into it. Proof could also be a plate, bell, or other artifact with the name Concorde--the name of the QAR when Blackbeard stole it from French seamen.
Lawrence's team plans to dive again this summer and fall. They hope to find proof that the wreck is Blackbeard's. Lawrence also hopes that new artifacts will tell scientists more about pirates' clothes, weapons, instruments, and more. "The best information we have about pirates could be lying at the bottom of the sea," he says.
Stop and Think: Why doesn't each of the artifacts prove that the mystery wreck was Blackbeard's?
FLAGS OF SURRENDER
Every pirate ship had its own Jolly Roger, or flag, to frighten ships into handing over their loot. The flags sent a chilling message: torture and death to those who don't cooperate!
WHAT WERE PIRATES LIKE
Karen Van Eaton's 4th-grade class in Cedar Park, Texas had these questions. So we asked pirate expert and author Margarette Lincoln:
Who were pirates and when were they around?
Pirates are thieves who steal from ships. They have been around as long as people have shipped goods by sea. Most famous pirates worked in the late 1600s and early 1700s. A few modern pirates rob ships even today.
Did pirates really bury their treasure?
Most pirates spent their stolen money celebrating with food and drink. But one--Captain Kidd--buried treasure on Gardiner's Island near Long Island, New York. The treasure has never been found.
Did Blackbeard have many enemies?
Lots. Even his own men were afraid of him, especially after he shot a member of his crew! Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard caught Blackbeard in October, 1718. It took Maynard 20 sword slashes and 5 shots to kill the pirate. He hung Blackbeard's head the ship's sail as an example to pirates everywhere!
Did every pirate carry a parrot?
Only the very best-dressed pirates did! Many pirates loved flashy, bright clothes and silk ribbons. A colorful parrot from their tropical travels added to their outfit. But I think parrots were probably a messy fashion accessory!
Margarette Lincoln researches sea history for the National Maritime Museum in London, England.
Raising The Ship
Here's how scientists are excavating the mystery wreck, step by step.
1 SCIENTISTS IN SCUBA GEAR
To check out the shipwreck, archaeologists climb into scuba suits, strap on air tanks, grab tools like shovels and buckets, and dive in! The mystery wreck lies just 7 m (23 ft) below the surface.
2 MAP IT
On special underwater paper, scientists draw a map of the shipwreck site. First, divers lay ropes across the site to form a grid much like the ones on pp. 14-15. Then, they sketch a small version of the grid, with artifacts in the correct squares.
Maps like these help scientists excavate artifacts on future dives. Maps may also give scientists clues about how the ship sank.
3 RAISE THE ARTIFACTS
Many artifacts are buried under sand, rocks, and coral. Divers clear away sand with their hands and with special underwater "vacuums."
When an artifact has been uncovered, divers often swim it up to a waiting boat. But for the heavy cannon at left, divers tied on an air-filled balloon. The balloon floated up through the water, carrying the cannon with it! Then the divers used ropes to lift the cannon out of the water.
4 CLEAN UP
Oceanwater can really change an artifact. A chemical change--corrosion--makes some metals rust. Other kinds of metal turn black or green.
As metal corrodes, it attracts tiny grains of a material called calcium carbonate (KAL-see-um KARbun-ate) from the water. (Seashells are made of calcium carbonate.) Over many years, the grains build up, covering artifacts with a rock-hard crust. At left, scientists have started chipping the crust off of a clump of iron boat parts from the mystery wreck.
5 PRESERVE THE ARTIFACTS
Even tough shipwreck artifacts like iron cannons undergo damaging physical changes after they are raised. Iron soaks up a lot of salt crystals (regularly-shaped grains) from sea water. As they dry, the salt crystals grow bigger. Swelling salt pushes on the iron from the inside--enough to crack it!
Museum conservators keep cannons in a water bath until all the salt washes from the iron. In the photo at left, Nathan Henry, the wreck's conservator, checks a soaking cannon. Once all the salt is gone, Henry will chip away rust (corrosion on iron) that didn't fall off in the water. Then he'll paint on a coating that will stop new rust from forming.
VOCABULARY
chemical change: when a substance changes into a new substance
physical change: when a substance changes size, shape, or other characteristics
conservator: a scientists who cleans and prepares artifacts
1 SCIENTISTS IN SCUBA GEAR
To check out the shipwreck, archaeologists climb into scuba suits, strap on air tanks, grab tools like shovels and buckets, and dive in! The mystery wreck lies just 7 m (23 ft) below the surface.
2 MAP IT
On special underwater paper, scientists draw a map of the shipwreck site. First, divers lay ropes across the site to form a grid much like the ones on pp. 14-15. Then, they sketch a small version of the grid, with artifacts in the correct squares.
Maps like these help scientists excavate artifacts on future dives. Maps may also give scientists clues about how the ship sank.
3 RAISE THE ARTIFACTS
Many artifacts are buried under sand, rocks, and coral. Divers clear away sand with their hands and with special underwater "vacuums."
When an artifact has been uncovered, divers often swim it up to a waiting boat. But for the heavy cannon at left, divers tied on an air-filled balloon. The balloon floated up through the water, carrying the cannon with it! Then the divers used ropes to lift the cannon out of the water.
4 CLEAN UP
Oceanwater can really change an artifact. A chemical change--corrosion--makes some metals rust. Other kinds of metal turn black or green.
As metal corrodes, it attracts tiny grains of a material called calcium carbonate (KAL-see-um KARbun-ate) from the water. (Seashells are made of calcium carbonate.) Over many years, the grains build up, covering artifacts with a rock-hard crust. At left, scientists have started chipping the crust off of a clump of iron boat parts from the mystery wreck.
5 PRESERVE THE ARTIFACTS
Even tough shipwreck artifacts like iron cannons undergo damaging physical changes after they are raised. Iron soaks up a lot of salt crystals (regularly-shaped grains) from sea water. As they dry, the salt crystals grow bigger. Swelling salt pushes on the iron from the inside--enough to crack it!
Museum conservators keep cannons in a water bath until all the salt washes from the iron. In the photo at left, Nathan Henry, the wreck's conservator, checks a soaking cannon. Once all the salt is gone, Henry will chip away rust (corrosion on iron) that didn't fall off in the water. Then he'll paint on a coating that will stop new rust from forming.
VOCABULARY
chemical change: when a substance changes into a new substance
physical change: when a substance changes size, shape, or other characteristics
conservator: a scientists who cleans and prepares artifacts
Source: Scholastic SuperScience
posted by James at 6:24 AM
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