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Articles
Archaeologists
seeking input to
research on
pirate sword
Wendy M. Welsh
QAR Conservator/Lab Manager
Archaeologists are seeking input
from arms historians concerning
the origins of the remnants of an
edged weapon recovered from the
shipwreck believed to be the pirate
Blackbeard’s flagship Queen Anne’s
Revenge (QAR) that ran aground
entering Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina
in 1718. The North Carolina
Department of Cultural Resources’
Underwater Archaeology Branch
(UAB) has managed the shipwreck site
since its discovery in 1996 and
oversees the excavation, conservation
and research of artefacts.
Fig 1
The decorative quillon block with
partial blade (figures 1 and 2) was
recovered in 2008. The block is made
of copper alloy and both sides are
adorned with figures as well as
decorative reliefs on the quillons.
During the cleaning process it was
observed that the block was originally
gilded with a thin layer of gold of
which only small amounts survived
intact. The iron blade was totally
corroded, but conservators were able
to cast it with epoxy resin revealing a
single-edged blade. Two years later
the handle or grip (figure 3 and 4) was
found approximately 35 feet (10
metres) from where the quillon block
was found on site. The grip is believed
to be made of antler while the ferule
and pommel are made of copper alloy,
similar to that of the block. The
pommel (figure 5) is decorated with
two faces and two fleur de lys but
conservators are still unsure if the
surface is gilded. X-rays reveal the
iron blade tang extending through the
grip, but in a corroded state.
These two artifacts were not found
intact or together so it is not certain
they are part of the same edged
weapon, but are very similar in size,
material and style. The decorative
markings on both artifacts will
hopefully provide some insight into a
definitive identity of this weapon.
Fig 5
Researchers have reviewed images of
the objects and hypothesize this
weapon was a hunting hanger sword
or cuttoe and possibly of English,
French, Dutch or German
manufacture. QAR archaeologists
welcome input from other arms
historians to help with identifying the
origin of this sword.
If you are willing to contribute an
opinion and would like more
information about the artifacts, please
email Wendy Welsh at
wendy.welsh@ncdcr.gov. Any help
would be most appreciated as we try
to provide the best possible
interpretation and analysis of the QAR
artifacts.
Fig 3 Fig 4
Fig 2
58 MAGAZINE ISSUE 06