Conclusions

There is no doubt that A1 is the Arade 1 shipwreck of 1970:

a) the location of A1 matches the location noted in CPAS' 1970 map; b) the story of its trove and breakage, as told by the captain of the dredge Mark, matches the pattern in which the hull lays; c) the size of the hull remains matches the descriptions of 1970 and 1972; d) the filler pieces found on the lower portion of the hull - uncommon by all standards - look exactly like the ones photographed in 1970; e) the floor timber photographed in 1970 looks exactly like the ones recorded in 2002, even in smaller details such as the scupper hole; f) round concretions identical to the ones described in FPAS' 1972 video were found around the shipwreck; and g) a small portion of the mat photographed in 1970 was found concreted to the ceiling planking.

Some of the artifacts found around the Arade 1 ship suggest a date around the last quarter of the 16th century for its loss.  In fact, both the heart blocks and the olive jar are typical of this period, an impression that is reinforced by the presence of a cast iron gun nearby, which could not have been cast much earlier than this period.

The extension of the hull remains suggest an overall length around 15 m, a beam around 5 m, and a depth in hold around 3 or 4 m.  These measurements must be confirmed however, and are presented here as mere estimates after preliminary recording.

Although probably Iberian - if we consider the filler pieces that seal the lower area of the bilge above the ceiling planking, between and over the first futtocks, as an almost exclusive Iberian feature - we have no evidence that allows us to state clearly its origin.  Very few 16th century hulls have survived from the Iberian shipbuilding family, and there is no typical 16th century Iberian hull, particularly when we consider small craft.

When compared with the irregularity of the floor timbers near the stempost, the midship floors' crisp and regular appearance suggests a pre-designed central portion of the frames.

The long for-and-aft treenails suggest either that the floors and futtocks were pre-assembled or that they were augured with the frames in place, before the mounting of the planking.  However, only a careful and accurate recording of its directions will allow a full understanding of the construction sequence.

All these features raise many interesting questions pertaining to the way the Arade 1 was conceived and built, and make it a very interesting ship, probably unique as an archaeological example of a small trader.  In spite of its probably humble origins and the lack of rare artifacts I am convinced that its excavation is well justified in terms of its scientific importance.