- Pic #1
- Photo by Y. Rigoir |
Luxury
Crockery
The ceramics represent a small number of the material on board (less than10%)
but they are a determining factor in the dating of the site and thus represent
a homogenous body of material, from both a chronological and geographical
standpoint.
Three types of objects are represented: dishes or wide-rimmed plates, boccale
or jugs, and albarelli or apothecary jars.
The majolica dish, as we saw, played a determining role in the study of the
ship (see text entitled Dating and Origin of the Wreck). It is typical of
the pieces called ovali e rombi, made in the workshops of Montelupo
in Tuscany. A small, simply decorated bowl is also attributed to this workshop.
(pic #1).
It is worth noticing the way in which the wording follows the production of
the ceramic. The term majolica designates in fact the ceramics originally
produced on the island of Majorca. This fabrication technique was adopted
and developed in Italy; in Tuscany, Emilia, and more particularly in Faenza,
where the name faillence (French word for crockery) originates.
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Pic #2 - Photo byY. Rigoir |
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Pic #3 - Photo by Y. Rigoir |
Two rather well conserved majolica pitchers originate from
Liguria. They are bulb-shaped, decorated in blue and reddish orange and are
characterized by a blue circular ladder revolving around a medallion (Pic
#2). For one of them, the medallion is the coat of arms of the Fregosi
family surmounted by a red cross on a white background that represents the
city of Genoa, and San Giorgio or Saint Georgethat was also adopted
by the Royal Navy.
The overlapping of the two symbols: that of a family and that of a city indicates
that the Fregosi family had the supreme rights as Doge of Genoa
(Pic #3).
Another pitcher, more slender in shape, both ornate with an engraving called
a stecaand a painted décor dominated by yellow and green,
is of Pisane or Genoese make (Pic #4).
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Pic #4 - Photo by Y. Rigoir |
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Pic #5 - Photo by Y. Rigoir |
The apothecary jars, or albarelli which are characterized by a
cylindrical shape and beveling at the top and bottom, are also present. One
of the stockier ones is of Genoese make and displays compartments with yellow
and blue arabesques (Pic #5).
In addition to these typical shapes, we find also small dishes or bowls with
handles on each side which come from the region of Valencia. One of them is
from Manisses and another from the region of Rome (Pic #6).
- Pic #6
- Photo by Y. Rigoir |
- Pic #7- Photo byY. Rigoir |
- Pic #8
- Photo by C. Durand |
Common
Crockery
Roughly crafted, but representing a wide variety of different shapes (about
fifty), the common crockery is abundant on the shipwreck of the Lomellina.
The most numerous is the crockery for service, private, and public use. There
are open shapes: bowls and small dishes covered with a green-yellow glaze,
and closed shapes: essentially pitchers with pinched spouts. These too are
productions from Liguria and certainly located in Savone (Pic
#7).
Another part of this common crockery is its apparent sturdiness and the predominance
of green and brown colors (Pic #8). There are also some ceramic
from Catalonia: a large jug topped by a basket handle, containing two brightly
glazed tubular nozzles, a small brown marmite (with lid), and two narrow-neck
pitchers with pinched spouts.
A rounded, globular pink marmite is a reminder of pottery from Eastern Province
(Pic #9).
Between these two types of crockery, we see a large yellow dish decorated with an incised fish, type a graffita monocroma, which comes from the region of Savone (Pic #10).
Several ceramic pieces reveal that the presence of an apothecary
(or pharmacist) on board.
There are some monochromatic (either yellow or green) apothecary jars, incised
in the same way as the fish dish; ointment jars with a double
lip to which was attached a cloth or parchment in order to protect the mixture
it contained.
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Pic #9 - Photo by Y. Rigoir |
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Pic #10 - Photo by Y. Rigoir |
- Pic #11
- Photo by Christian Petron |
- Pic #12
- Photo by Christian Petron |
Fire
potsand grenades
The biggest pots are manifest as small flat- bottom amphoras (with two handles)
in terra cotta measuring 30 cm high and 18 cm diameter at the handle (Pic
#11). The neck has two circular handles at its base. The bulge is a grayish
black color and shows traces of its turning on the pottery wheel. The superior
part of the bulge still carries the traces of a wax glaze.
The handles are small and do not appear to have been designed to be gripped
by hands. The interior still contained residual wood coal. It was probably
a flammable projectile sealed in wax with a wick for ignition.
The weight and size of the projectile rules out its being used as a hand thrown
device, however it could have been released at the end of a yard, or more
certainly from a top.
This type of projectile is not specifically mentioned in the inventories that
we have consulted, but it is mentioned in the various writings and blue prints
dating from the second half of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th,
which are dedicated to artillery and fireworks known as fire pots. These pots
were used either as incendiary projectiles or as explosive projectiles. They
were hand- launched from a high point: a ship top, a castle, or even by the
aid of a sling. The small handles were for attaching the ignition wick. An
archaeological reference on this type of fire pot equipped with handles (even
if it is on a smaller scale) is provided by the excavation of the wreck of
the San Antonio de Tanna which was found near Mombassa and excavated
in 1977.
Hand
Bullets, pignatta alcancias
Other large quantities of projectiles were found, totaling nearly 100, either
whole or in fragments. Their dimensions and weights make them veritable hand
weapons. They are distributed in four different types:
The first ones are simply emptied pine cones, distinct from those found whole.
They were apparently used for eating (pine nuts) and for starting fires. The
emptied pine cones were probably filled with gun powder and sealed in wax.
In certain nave inventories, the term pignattadesignates
the incendiary projectiles of the grenade style, but in the everyday language,
pigna means pine cone. These represent without a doubt the most
primitive types of grenades.
The other projectiles are terra cotta pots that differ less in their style
and contents but more in the shape of their openings. Their shapes are not
exactly standardized; they measure between 10 cm and 11 cm high with a 11cm
bulge at the diameter. The diameter of the base varies between 6 cm and 8
cm.
The type 1 (Pic #12) has a straight neck and a slightly
wide mouth, with an exterior diameter of 36 mm, which is in some cases covered
with traces of wax on the entire exterior surface. This type of pot has a
shape resembling a grenade, the fruit of the pomegranate tree, and one can
think that this similarity in shape illustrates the etymology of the word
grenade, with its military use aside. Only these pots were found still containing
a black powder, which was found to be wood coal. The other types differ in
width and in the shape of their opening. These were generally cited in inventories
of this period; either projectiles packed with green soap (in order to make
the enemies' decks slippery), or quick-lime to blind the adversary. This shows
us that chemical warfare has been around for quite a long time.
© Max Guérout