An archaeological study of the Solglimt shipwreck survivor camp on sub-Antarctic Marion Island

Abstract

In a tale of survival, dubbed that of the “South Seas Crusoes”, a group of men overcame the odds by setting up camp on a deserted volcanic sub-Antarctic island in the middle of the Southern Indian Ocean. This group of men formed the crew of the Norwegian SS Solglimt sealing vessel which had wrecked on the sub-Antarctic Marion Island in October 1908. More than a century later remains of the shipwreck of the SS Solglimt can still be found lying exposed below the water in the bay of Ships Cove. In the valley north of the bay, the remnants of the shipwreck survivor camp associated with the wreck holds hidden stories of a terrestrial maritime landscape formed out of tragedy and the need to survive. It is mainly the remains of this camp which forms the basis of the research and discussion for this dissertation. The following study is not only an attempt to add to our knowledge and understanding of the archaeological remains on Marion Island, it is also to add to an existing body of knowledge involving shipwreck survivor camps.

The remains on Marion Island have produced the perfect opportunity to fill gaps within the discipline of Maritime Archaeology, especially in South Africa where too often emphasis is placed on shipwreck studies and not enough on the events taking place before or after the crisis event. The following dissertation uses archaeological techniques alongside historical documents as a way to better understand the socio-cultural behaviour of survivors during events of disaster, isolation and the necessity to survive. The study will be used as a comparison to similar studies around the world and hopes to add to an existing body of knowledge involving survivor camps and disaster-response studies from an archaeological and anthropological perspective.