A Multi-Disciplinary Study of Woodcrafts and Plant Remains that Reveals the History of Pontevedra’s Harbour (Northwest Iberia) Between the 13th and 19th Centuries AD

Abstract

Waterlogged woodcrafts and other plant remains were recovered at 65 Arcebispo Malvar Street (Pontevedra, Spain) from contexts from the 13th to 19th centuries AD, although most of the artefacts were concentrated in accumulations of organic remains dating to the 15th century AD. The site is located close to the Pontevedra’s harbour and wooden dock. Plant-based crafts and other organic remains were classified into five groups: timbers, containers, personal items, fishing implements, and miscellaneous artefacts. The great majority of items are related to timber building or even shipbuilding, including planks, beams, posts, stakes, pegs, trenails and wedges. Other objects, such as a plate/lid, a basket, a cup, stave-built containers, and combs, provide information about day-to-day life, trade, fishing activities, etc. The timber assemblage offers a unique opportunity to expand our knowledge about wood-working techniques and the selection of raw materials from the Middle Ages onwards, complementing the information already known from written sources. In addition, the identification of an oar made of Fagus sylvatica verifies the written evidence of their importation from other areas of the Iberian Peninsula, while the identification of a cup made from a coconut shell suggests the arrival of objects from tropical areas.