![]() One of the most difficult technical challenges faced by the conservators was finding the right balance between the removal of iron stains and the preservation of the remnants of the original paint. Examination revealed that the bench was originally painted white, a rare find on wood in this condition. The wood was waterlogged and heavily stained with corrosion. The bench the crew sat on while cranking the Hunley into world history was removed from the submarine in 2005 and is composed of threeġ-inch pine boards, measuring approximately 18-feet long combined. Thanks to Hunley conservators, Dixon’s elegant watch is a beautifully preserved artifact and can still serve as an ongoing resource for discovering the events that transpired the night of the Hunley’s historic mission. Next, all of the tiny items were conserved one by one, and then re-assembled with extraordinary precision. It required a good plan and steady hands,” Mardikian said.įirst, the crystal face was removed and the time dial separated from the movement. “Conserving the pocket watch was like brain surgery. Dissecting the small watch proved extraordinarily difficult. Given the complexity of the watch’s design, conservators decided the best approach was to disassemble it and preserve each section separately. They are made of a variety of materials - including steel, paint, porcelain, and brass - all of which required different and very specific conservation treatments. But its internal movement and time display were a different story. The watch’s gold casing was relatively easy to stabilize. “Dixon’s gold pocket watch is a perfect example of the need for collaboration between archaeologists and conservators,” said Hunley Project Senior Conservator Paul Mardikian.Ī detailed x-ray analysis was conducted before the artifact was touched. However, the study of the watch needed to be closely coordinated with conservators to ensure the watch was not damaged. George Dixon’s pocket watch was discovered during excavation, archaeologists were eager to open it and learn the time displayed on the dial in hopes it would provide an important clue in their efforts to solve the mystery of the Hunley’s disappearance. Finally, the object was placed in a domestic freezer for about two more years to let the rope and cork dry very slowly. In what ended up being a two year process, the metal was conserved using a chemical compatible Object as it was found in its concretion. Since it was made of tinplate, rope and cork, the canteen represented a difficult challenge for conservators and it was decided to preserve the It was found underneath the crew bench and heavily fused to the hull, causing the canteen to eventually be removed from the submarine The canteen featured here is possibly the most intact and still holds portions of the cork and rope carrying strap. At most, one was perhaps filled with spirits for celebratory toast in anticipation of a successful mission. Chances are, the canteens all held water. Cranking the submarine was grueling work and the crew would have needed to stay hydrated to perform their duties. ![]() Though many have speculated they held “liquid courage” to help the crew handle such dangerous and cramped conditions, archaeologists say that is very unlikely. Eight canteens were found onboard the Hunley.
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