Wooden Ship Building and the Interpretation of Shipwrecks is divided into three sections: an introduction to the fundamentals of ship construction and design, a brief history of shipbuilding technology, and the methodology for the recording and reconstruction of shipwrecks. Part one introduces the discipline of ship and boat reconstruction and challenges the reader to master the terminology of shipbuilding and seafaring as a way into the field. Steffy views the ship as a functional tool, requiring certain characteristics of stability and strength to perform well within a specific environment. He looks at the elements of hull design, with examples of different forms from a variety of locations and time periods. The section includes a useful discussion of lines drawings as a means to convey three- dimensional forms on a flat media.
Part two takes the reader through a historical treatment of shipbuilding technology from the Bronze Age to the early 19th century. Steffy breaks his discussion into three periods: the ancient world, the medieval period, and the epoch of global voyages following the development of new routes to the Far East and the discovery of the Americas. Quarterly readers will recognize projects carried out by INA, such as the Late Bronze Age shipwreck at Uluburun, the Kyrenia ship, vessels from Yassiada and Serçe Limani, the Charon, and the Brown's Ferry vessel. Examples of work by Steffy's former students abound, including investigations by current INA researchers Kevin Crisman, Cheryl Haldane, Frederick Hocker, and Sheila Matthews. It is important to point out that their work is not included simply because they were former students, but because they were forced to become experts in fields where none existed previously. Steffy rounds out this discussion with contributions from leading scholars about work in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Where archaeological evidence is lacking, Steffy has consulted historical documentation of shipbuilding, such as Venetian and English manuscripts on shipbuilding and naval architecture.
Part three is the centerpiece of the book. It presents a thorough methodology of shipwreck recording and reconstruction, a field in which Steffy has provided constant leadership over the last quarter century, an effort which garnered him a prestigious MacArthur Foundation fellowship. Steffy makes the analogy between a shipwreck and a computer file, in that both can provide veritable cornucopias of information, but require proper access through disciplined and exact procedures. He is careful to warn that every project is unique, requiring its own recording, research, and dissemination procedures. His systematic approach to recording the remains of a vessel will be welcomed by those charged with this responsibility, and will enlighten the uninitiated in the difficult and time consuming process. Tips for field recording include labelling and measuring timbers, photography, scaled drawing, and cataloguing data. The need for proper planning before beginning any stage of recording or reconstruction is repeatedly emphasized.
Three types of reconstructions are outlined: graphic, three-dimensional, and physical. The first involves drawings, photographs, and accompanying text. Three dimensional projects involve modelling and replica construction, while physical reconstructions attempt to replicate the work of the original craftsman. Projects are divided into those with the potential to yield extensive reconstructions, termed "capital," and those that produce valuable, but less elaborate results, called "contributory." The section on three-dimensional research presents models and replicas built by Steffy and his students. Steffy, who prefers modelling to computer reconstruction, lists several modelling types, including: mold-and-batten models used in reconstructing hull lines, fragment models, models of specific timbers or shipboard equipment such as pumps and capstans, exhibition models for museum displays, and replicas. Users of computer assisted drafting (CAD) programs are warned that these systems are often incompatible with ships of many time periods and tend to overlook repairs and departures from modern design features. The learning process inherent in the manual creation of ship lines and models exceeds the timesaving aspect of CAD programs and brings the researcher one step closer to the vessel's original construction.
Steffy convincingly contends that accurate recording, appropriate research modelling, and technical drawings together transform shipwreck sites into a wealth of information about the past, which should be communicated to a wide audience. For Steffy, a high quality ship report should be lively, authoritative, comprehensible, precise, logical, economical, and suggestive; he incorporates this advice into his book. Discussions of ship and boat reconstruction can easily degenerate into exercises in technical jargon slinging. Steffy avoids this by clearly identifying important considerations, as in his discussion of the progression from shell-first to skeletal-built construction, an important, though not always skillfully debated topic among ship reconstructors. His explanations are concise and exact, easy to follow, and entertaining to read. Following his own advice, he allows many fine illustrations to speak to the reader, thus eliminating wordy explanations. The 8.5 by 12 inch page format provides ample room for detailed technical drawings. Illustrations are well integrated with the text, including 60 photographs, of which nearly half highlight the chapter on research and reconstruction. The illustrated glossary is a rare and welcome find. For subjects beyond this study's scope, Steffy refers the reader to archaeological reports listed in a thorough bibliography, divided like the history section into ancient, medieval, and post-medieval periods.
Steffy's work is designed primarily for archaeologists who document wooden ships and boats; it makes an excellent text for teaching this aspect of nautical archaeology. Maritime historians, historians of technology, naval architects, and curators of vessels in maritime museum collections will find it of interest to view from an archaeological perspective the recording of vessels and the changes in shipbuilding technology over time. General readers should enjoy a voyage through centuries of shipbuilding and will ultimately find themselves better equipped to consult more technical archaeological reports.
The reader can discern the development of a methodology for the sub-discipline of ship reconstruction over the course of Steffy's career. Ideas formulated in the field, laboratory, and classroom have grown over the years into a widely respected research methodology, and now into an authoritative book. In Wooden Ship Building and the Interpretation of Shipwrecks, we are reminded that ship construction forced the application of a complex technology to the solution of transportation problems, and that shipwrecks, through rigorous and methodological study, can speak eloquently about the desires and aspirations of people in the past.
J. Cozzi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University. His dissertation examines sailing canal boats on Lake Champlain.