Angra B, c. 1600

Country: Portugal

Place: Terceira Island, Angra do Heroísmo Bay, Azores

History of the shipwreck

The Angra B shipwreck, also known as the “Lead-Sheathed” wreck, was found in 1996 and was examined by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA). It is one of several sites in the Angra Bay. The site has been surveyed by archaeologists from Universidade Nova de Lisboa after 2006.

Date

Date suggested by artifacts.

Description of the site

The site was found in 5 meters of water with two piles of ballasts. The bow and stern of the ship have not been found due to the lack of defining characteristics. Crumpled sheets of lead were found around timbers discovered at the site.

Cargo

No information.

Ballast

A ballast pile measures 15 x 11 mm, covering and preserving many of the timbers that were found at the site. A type of ballast was found that appears to have been poured in between frames and stringers in liquid form, then hardened once it had settled.

Hull remains

Timbers found were greatly eroded but there are signs of a rabbet 7cm below the top of the keel. No fasteners or bolts were found. All exposed frames were eroded near the keel, however, there still remained evidence of treenails and iron fasteners in several of the timbers. Eight outer hull strakes were found, including the garboard with was no thicker than the other strakes. The strakes averaged to a width of 27 cm and had an average thickness of 5 cm. A fastening pattern of two or three ironnails and one treenail was observed on the strakes.

Table 1. List of the timbers preserved. Scantlings

Timber	Sided [cm]	Molded [cm]	Comments
Ceiling Planks			Four found, average width: 26cm, average thickness: 5cm
Stringer 1	19	11.5
Stringer 2	14	11.5	Outboard of stringer 1

Keel

The remains of the keel measure to about 15 meters long and follow a north-south orientation. One side of the keel revealed nail holes with bits of lead surrounding them.

Planking

Description of the planking preserved, dimensions, scarves, fasteners, countersink holes, fastening patterns, design marks, tool marks, charring, coatings, sheathing...

Fasteners

Square iron fasteners were measured to be about 1 cm on each side.

Treenails averaged 2.5 cm in diameter and were made out of an undetermined type of wood.

Several small copper nails were found around the south end of the wreck, two measuring 4 mm in section and 3 cm long.

References

 Bettencourt, J., 2013. Angra B, un pecio español del siglo xvi en la bahía de Angra (isla Tercera, Azores, Portugal Portugal): resultados de una investigación en curso. I Congreso de Arqueología Náutica y Subacuática Española. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte.

Crisman, Kevin, 1999. “Angra B: the Lead-Sheathed Wreck at Porto Novo (Angra Do Heroismo, Terceira Island, Azores-Portug Al) .” Revista Portuguesa De Arqueologia, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 255–262.