Alexandria's Historic Ship: Track The Conservation Process

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Alexandria's 18th century ship discovered near the waterfront has left to undergo conservation. But Alexandria history buffs now have a way to keep up with this Old Town treasure.

The City of Alexandria granted a contract to conserve the ship to Texas A&M University's Conservation Research Laboratory. The ship remnants will eventually return to Alexandria to be put on exhibit, but the conservation process will take a few years. Because water has filled into the structure of the wood, conservation is an important step before scientists can reconstruct the ship for an exhibit.

Until then, Texas A&M has launched a website to give updates on the ship. The website documents the ship's progress from its discovery to the conservation process. The latest update a gallery of the ship timbers, which can be viewed in 360 degrees. These will be 3d printed and reconstructed to form a model of the ship using computer software. The process includes a year and a half of soaking the wood in a solution to remove iron. Afterward, scientists will remove the water, utilizing polyethylene glycol and vacuum freeze drying.

The 50-foot ship was discovered in late 2015 as Hotel Indigo broke ground on Union Street near the waterfront. A 260-year old warehouse was also uncovered a few months before. Alexandria archaeologists had excavated the ship in January 2016, and it has been stabilized in tanks of water until it could undergo professional conservation. The ship was packaged and shipped to Texas in June. (SIGN UP: Subscribe to a Virginia Patch News Alert and Newsletter. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Residents can learn more about the 18th-century ship during a lecture at the t the Lyceum (201 S Washington St) Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. Dr. Phillip Reid’s lecture on British Atlantic merchant vessels will discuss the discovery, explaining why it is significant to understanding maritime history and technology. The lecture is part of Virginia Archaeology Month and requires tickets.

See other Alexandria Archaeology events and donate to the ship conservation fund here.

Image via City of Alexandria