Summary and Conclusions

Abstract

The value of historical archaeology lies in the ability to analyze historical documentation in dialogue with material remains for a richer glimpse into the culture we are studying. By utilizing the two independent data sets we can seek to generate hypotheses and draw conclusions to understand the larger picture. If the ships and shipwrecks themselves are seen as artifacts of the culture that produced them, then that culture should manifest itself within the remains we are studying. The archaeological body of evidence for 19th-century Norwegian shipwrecks is small; however, most vessels share a common history and disposition. Table 6.1 details other Norwegian shipwrecks that have been investigated archaeologically throughout the world.