"Rediscovery through Recovery" Now Open
Artifacts from the Roosevelt Inlet Shipwreck Now on Display at Lewes' Zwaanendael Museum
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Lewes, Delaware - April 20, 2007 A selection of artifacts recovered from the Roosevelt Inlet Shipwreck site is now on display at the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, Delaware. The exhibit, entitled "Rediscovery Through Recovery," showcases the shipwreck and its cargo, while at the same time, explaining the multi-faceted processes utilized in archaeological and historical research.
The vessel, thought to be the remains of the British commercial ship Severn, is the oldest-known shipwreck discovered in Delaware waters. It provides a unique opportunity to study the economic relationships between the British Empire and its American colonies in the years immediately before the American Revolution.
In order to logically showcase a representative sampling of the tens of thousands of artifacts that have been recovered from the shipwreck, "Rediscovery Through Recovery" will be presented through a series of changing exhibits. Augmented by community meetings and hands-on archaeological programs, each of these exhibits will focus on a different archaeological and/or historical topic associated with the ship and the time period in which it sailed.
The first of these exhibits focuses on ceramics, the largest category of material culture recovered from the shipwreck. In particular, stonewares provide a backdrop for discussions on trans-Atlantic commerce and the extensive economic networks that made Delaware's colonial society an integral part of the British Empire with strong links to the complex cultures that made up the Atlantic world of the 1770s.
History of the Lewes Shipwreck
In the fall of 2004, during a beach replenishment project at Lewes Beach, sand dredging in the lower Delaware Bay struck a portion of an archaeological site resulting in thousands of artifacts being pumped onto Lewes Beach. Archaeologists from the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, with the assistance of volunteers and local citizens, have recovered nearly 56,000 artifacts.
An underwater archaeological survey conducted by professional archaeologists in the spring of 2005 confirmed the location of an 18th Century (1762-1775) shipwreck. Further archaeological excavations at the shipwreck site conducted by the State of Delaware in October 2006 recovered a wide range of artifacts representing cargo from the ship. Analysis to date indicates that the cargo originated from five different countries within the broad economic sphere of the British Empire.
Recent historical research indicates that the shipwreck is likely the British commercial vessel Severn, in-bound from Bristol, England to Philadelphia when lost in a storm in May, 1774. The shipwreck is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is property of the State of Delaware. Access to the shipwreck site is restricted by Delaware law.
About the Zwaanendael Museum
The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Delaware's first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped facade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. The museum's exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military, and social history. In addition to "Rediscovery Through Recovery," the museum is currently exhibiting a historical timeline covering 11,000 years of Lewes culture beginning with the original Native American residents, through the period of European colonization, the American Revolutionary War, the birth of the United States as a nation, and the War of 1812.
Exhibit dates: Currently on display. Closing date to be determined.
Location: Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway (Kings Highway at Savannah Road), Lewes, DE 19958
Telephone: (302) 645-1148
Hours of operation: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed Mondays and most holidays. Open on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
Admission: Free and open to the public. Group tour reservations are required.
