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Stunning artifacts have been
recovered from the wreck of HMS Erebus, one of two 19th-century Royal Navy
ships involved in a doomed expedition to locate the Northwest Passage.
Officials in Canada unveiled the
items, which include epaulets from a lieutenant’s uniform, ceramic dishes, a
hairbrush, and a pencil case, this week. Sealing wax, bearing a fingerprint,
that is believed to belong to Edmund Hoar, the captain’s steward, was also
found.
HMS Erebus and her sister ship HMS
Terror took part in an expedition led by Sir John Franklin to find the
long-sought sea route. Both ships’ crews perished in the mission and the ships'
final resting places remained a mystery for over 160 years.
Parks Canada and the Inuit Heritage
Trust unveiled the new artifacts on Thursday.
“The findings from HMS Erebus during
the 2019 Franklin research mission will contribute to a better understanding of
historical and Inuit accounts of the Franklin Expedition and help establish a
clearer picture of the living quarters of the crew on the lower deck of the
ship,” said Parks Canada in a statement.
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| sealing wax |
The recovered artifacts are
currently undergoing preliminary analysis – a process that includes identifying
the physical characteristics of each object as well as scaled illustrations,
x-rays
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| pencil case |
and studio photography – at Parks Canada’s Conservation Laboratories,”
explained Parks Canada.
The wreck of the Erebus was finally located in 2014, amid much
fanfare, and the Terror was found two years later. The
ships, which were among the most sought-after prizes in marine archaeology, are
the subject of multiple songs, poems and novels.
The wrecks have even sparked
talk of a modern "curse."
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| decanter- probably for port |
What happened to most of the ships'
crew members, however, is still unknown. Franklin and 128 handpicked officers
and men had set out in 1845 to find the Northwest Passage, the shortcut to Asia
that supposedly ran from the Atlantic to the Pacific by way of the harsh,
ice-choked Arctic.
Experts believe that the ships were
lost in 1848 after they became locked in the ice near King William Island and
that the crews abandoned them in a hopeless bid to reach safety. Inuit lore
tells of "white men who were starving" as late as the winter of 1850
on Royal Geographical Society Island in the north Canadian territory of
Nunavut.
The local community treats the wreck
sites with great reverence.
“An Inuit Guardians program,
involving Inuit from Gjoa Haven, has been in place since 2017 and leads the
protection and monitoring of the Franklin wrecks during the open-water season,
in addition to helping integrate Inuit knowledge into Parks Canada’s
operations,” said Parks Canada in its statement released this week.
Both wrecks have been designated as historic sites by the Canadian
government and a Parks Canada permit is required to access them.
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This is pretty exciting stuff - these discoveries are hugely significant and I am sure analysis will offer more clues to what happened to the ships and the men. When more is found (probably during the summer months) we will bring you this fascinating continuing story. Stay tuned!
Until next time,
Fair winds,
Old Salt
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