Port Royal was one of the great British colonial ports of the seventeenth century. A haven for pirates as well as a great centre of trade for sugar and trade, its wealth and decadence were infamous.
All of this ended after only 37 years when in 1692, a large portion of the city sank into a sea after its sandy foundations were undermined by a massive earthquake. The city was decimated with 13 of its 21 hectares lost. Despite efforts to rebuild, Port Royal never recovered.
Like Pompeii and Herculaneum, Port Royal’s sudden end means that buildings and artefacts can be used to recreate a daily snapshot of life before and during its destruction. Excavations on the shore have taken place but it is the sea that holds the best remains. For although the harbour area was destroyed outright, many of the outlying areas slipped into the sea, preserving buildings and artefacts in the oxygen deficient waters.
Excavations of Port Royal
Three major underwater excavations have taken place at Port Royal:
· In 1959, excavations, conducted in association with the National Geographical Society and Smithsonian Institute concentrated on the area around Fort James, Littleton’s tavern and the King’s warehouse.
· In 1965 large scale excavations of the Fisher’s row area were instigated by the Institute of Jamaican culture.
· The most recent underwater excavations occurred from 1981 until 1990. Conducted by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, A & M University and the Jamaican National Heritage Trust, the work was concentrated on the lime street area Lime Street, revealing information about the domestic and business life of Port Royal.
What the Excavations of Port Royal Revealed
Much was known of Port Royal from contemporary documents and descriptions. Its road were broad and unpaved and many were named after the streets in London. Excavation added colour to these descriptions, revealing details about construction of the city’s buildings, the wealth of its people.
Buildings. It seems that much of the city was built in brick with well to do and poorer housing co existing side by side. Lime Street was, a mix of well built and poorly built constructed buildings, consisting of business and residential premises. A pipe shop, tavern and wood turner/cobblers shop were neighbours of a well appointed house built on raised sills with mortar foundations. Floors in the premises ranged from bare sand to plaster and in the most well to do a brick herringbone floor. Many of the windows were glazed, as evidence of a large four portioned leaded window suggests.
· Artefacts. Many high status objects have been recovered from buildings in Lime Street, indicating the level of prosperity of the residence. Amongst the finds were 28 Chinese porcelain Fo Dog figurines, 28 Chinese porcelain cups and bowls, pewter plates and candlesticks, a gold ring, pearl pendant, silver cutlery and a Dutch delft plate.
· Human Remains. The sudden nature of the disaster is highlighted by human remains by or in the buildings. The body of a young child was found beneath the fallen front wall of one of the houses whilst two children were discovered inside a building.
· Shipwrecks. 26 merchant ships and 400 people on board perished when Port Royal was overwhelmed by the sea. One ship, which tore through the walls and floors of one of the buildings in lime street has been identified as HMS Swan which was careened at the time of the earthquake
Sources
Port Royal, Jamaica: Archaeological Past and Development Potential by Donny L. Hamilton
http://nautarch.tamu.edu/portroyal/
Natasha Sheldon - A writer since 2000, Natasha Sheldon holds a BA Hons in ancient history and archaeology and MA in ancient history and historiography.
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