The search for the slave ship Meermin : developing a methodology for finding inter tidal shipwrecks

Abstract

This thesis describes the development of a methodology to find inter tidal shipwrecks. The discussion revolves around finding a particular shipwreck – that of the Dutch slaver Meermin. The story of the revolt on the Meermin helps to focus the search and development of the methodology to find inter tidal shipwrecks as the Meermin was wrecked in this zone. The thesis contextualises the search and the story by discussing not only maritime archaeology in South Africa, but also looking at slave ship archaeology and the history of slavery at the Cape. One of the key techniques for finding shipwrecks is the use of magnetometers. The discussion defines the types of magnetometers available to archaeologists and how magnetometry was applied during the search for the Meermin. This inevitably includes an examination of the shipwrecks wrecked in the area of the Meermin episode as well as the way this region has changed over time. The results of the magnetometer searches (which included airborne, handheld and marine magnetometers) are discussed as well as the ground truthing of the results. The latter involved excavation and the development of excavation strategies, and excavation results are scrutinized. In the final analysis the search for the Meermin is further contextualised by considering the various impacts the project has had in other spheres.

Hierdie tesis beskryf die ontwikkeling van ‘n metodologie waarmee skeepswrakke in die inter-gety sone opgespoor kan word. Die Hollandse slaweskip, Meermin, is die fokus van die diskussie. Die storie van die slawe opstand op die Meermin help om die ontwikkeling en soektog na skeepswrakke in die inter-gety sone te verskerp, aangesien dit in hierdie sone was waarin die Meermin gestrand het. Die soektog en storie van die Meermin word gekontekstualiseer deur die bespreking van die ontwikkeling van maritieme argeologie in Suid Afrika, die argeologie van slawe skepe en ‘n kort geskiedenis van slawerny aan die Kaap. Magnetometers is een van die belangrikste tegnieke gebruik vir die opspoor van skeepswrakke. Die tipes magnetometers wat deur argeoloë gebruik word, word gedefinieër asook hoe magnetometers gedurende die soektog na die Meermin gebruik is. Daar word ook gekyk na die ander skepe wat in die area van die Meermin gestrand het en die veranderinge wat deur die jare in die streek plaasgevind het. Die resultate van die magnetometer soektogte (insluitend vliegtuig, draagbare en mariene magnetometers) word bespreek so wel as die opgrawings van die resultate. Hierdie opgrawings het noodwendig gelei tot die ontwikkeling van opgrawings tegnieke. Die resultate van die opgrawings word bespreek. Die finale analise kontekstualiseer die soektog na die Meermin met ‘n bepeinsing van die menige impakte wat die projek gehad het.

Le thisisi icacisa ngenkqubela kulwazi-nkqubo lokufumana iinqanawa ezaphuka phakathi kokuzala nokurhoxa kolwandle. Ingxoxo zimalunga nokufunyanwa kwenqanawa ethile eyaphukayo – kanye leyo yayithutha amakhoboka amaHolani i-Meermin. Ibali lovukelo kwi-Meermin liyasinceda siqwalasele uphando nenkqubela kulwazi-nkqubo lokufumana iinqanawa ezaphuka phakathi kokuzala nokurhoxa kolwandle njengoko i-Meermin yaqhekeka kanye kulo mmandla. Ithisisi le isicacisela kanye ngophando nembali ngokuxoxa hayi ngobunzululwazi ngezakudala emanzini eMzantsi Afrika nje kuphela, koko iphinde ijonge ngobunzululwazi ngezakudala kwinqanawa yokuthutha amakhoboka nembali yobukhoboka eKapa. Obunye bobuqili obuphambili ekufumaneni iinqanawa eziqhekekileyo kukusetyenziswa kwezixhobo zokulinganisa iintshukumo. Ingxoxo ibalula iindidi zezixhobo zokulinganisa iintshukumo ezisetyenziswa ziinzululwazi ngezakudala nendlela ekwasetyenziswa ngayo ukulinganiswa kwentshukumo ngethuba kuphandwa i-Meermin. Ngokuqhelekileyo oku kuquka ukucutyungulwa kweenqanawa ezaqhekekayo ziqhekeka kummandla wesehlo esisodwa se-Meermin kunye nendlela le ngingqi eguquke ngayo emveni koko. Iziphumo zophando ngezixhobo zokulinganisa iintshukumo (ziquka ezo zasesibhakabhakeni, ezibanjwa ngesandla nezasemanzini) ziyaxoxwa kunye neziphumo zenyani yenene. Le yokugqibela iquka ukwembiwa nenkqubela kwindlela zokomba, iziphumo zokomba nazo ziqwalaselwe. Kuye kwaphinda kwacaciswa kwintlahlela yokugqibela kuphando lwe-Meermin kuqwalaselwa iimpembelelo ezithile umsebenzi othe wangquzulena nazo nakwezinye iindawo.