Decoding 19th-century marine ironwork: Metallurgical insights from shipwreck finds

Shipwrecks provide valuable context for historical events, shedding light on trade connections, economic changes, naval battles, and evolution of technologies. Case studies of metallurgical characterization of 19th-century iron artefacts retrieved from shipwrecks off the Israeli coast revealed crucial information about composition, microstructure, and manufacturing processes, useful in dating and tracing the origin of the raw material. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of alloying elements, indicating the type of iron, and the concentration of impurities, reflecting its quality. Microstructural examination revealed whether an item was produced by direct smelting, indirect puddling smelting, casting, or hot-forging. Imaging the welded zone disclosed the welding technique and quality. The holistic metallurgical characterization employed gives a clear understanding of the materials and technologies of the period, their evolution over time, and the broader cultural and historical contexts in which they were developed.