Tidal wrecks in Patagones, Argentina: 19th-century beached vessels

Abstract

This project focuses on the maritime events occurred in the area of Patagones, Southern Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The area was of great significance as a key sailing route connecting Buenos Aires and Montevideo with harbors in Patagonia, and one of the main scenarios of the war with the Empire of Brazil. Historical sources attest for the high archaeological potential of the area, mainly because of the importance of the challenging sailing conditions, the importance of seafaring in the region, and the war events. Even if maritime activities resulted in ships being lost, no previous work on archaeology was available for the mentioned area. Since 2017, studies have unveiled novel information on sailing and associated activities along the Atlantic coast of South America. Several shipwrecks have already been located and recorded. This article presents a brief account of the ongoing research and the results obtained during the 2021 fieldwork season, supported by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology’s Discovery Fund.