Aporte Científico de la Investigación

Fig. 4.59. Scale 1/2. A reconstructed flat bottomed This reconstructed vessel was comprised of four basal sherds that proved this type of jar had rounded shoulders tapering to a small mouth. The line on the upper left shoulder shows where rim (Fig.4.62) was added to complete the postulated shape. The vessel walls are fairly thick towards the base with turning marks wide and less defined. Approaching the shoulder, the walls become much thinner and the throwing marks are more pronounced and much closer together. The potter may have constructed the base crudely with his fingers pulling the clay quickly upwards. As the clay thinned he may have added a coil of clay and used a tool instead

OLIVE JAR-TYPE BOTIJAS

of his fingers to form the narrow gap between the upper throwing marks on the exterior. The interior walls are smooth and may have been supported with the potter’s hand. There are no join marks in the shoulder area indicating that the jars were formed in two pieces. Nearing the neck the exterior is smoothed where it meets the wide mouthed rim which is fashioned for a cork closure. Pitch residue on many of the rim samples indicate a sealing technique similar to that of the common botija forms.

There were no intact vessels recovered from the Atocha (1622) wreck and the large scatter area of wreck materials made additional positive reconstructions impossible. The fragile nature of the shoulders and rim sections of the jars may explain why there were no intact vessels recovered, and may also explain why jars of this type have not been recovered from wrecks of other periods. If the jars proved too fragile for shipboard use then it would make sense that their use was confined to a short experimental period.

Paste on all the flat-bottomed jars is similar to the botija fabric with in some cases a “white slip” appearance. They appear tempered with fine sandy particles with medium sized inclusions throughout.

Fig, 4.60. No. A. A basal disc covered in a thick coat of pitch residue. Paste is a tannish- pink tempered with sandy particles and mineral inclusions. Fig. 4.60. No. B S imilar basal sherd as above comprised of two reconstructed pieces. Maximum base exterior is 22.5 cm with wall thickness ranging from 1-1.3 cm. Paste is a light grey cored fabric with visible mineral inclusions. A white slip appearance over terra-cotta paste.

Fig. 4.61. No. A Similar base as above comprised of two sherds. Maximum exterior diameter is 22 cm. Very crude construction with large bubbles in paste indicating poor clay preparation. A fresh break reveals a reddish-brown cored fabric framed by a greyish to black core with a tarnished pink exterior. Paste is tempered with fine sandy particles with large gritty inclusions. This sample clearly exhibits the haste of production with one side pushed inwards by a board 12.4 cm wide slipped under the vessel in order to pry the still pliable clay from the wheel. Fig. 4.61. No. B Similar base as above with a slightly more distinctive outwards flaring. Smaller turning marks are more defined on interior vessel walls. Droppings of clay are present on the base. The join between the flattened

base and vessel walls is clearly visible. A brownish stain covers some of the interior of the vessel. Paste is a darker brown than the others on the exterior with a light grey core and large mineral inclusions. Fig. 4.61. No. C. Similar base as above with pitch resin on interior bottom of jar and running down the sides. Maximum diameter of exterior base measures 21.7cm. Base thickness is 1.2 cm. Walls range between 1.2 and 1.6 cm. Clay droppings are found on the interior floor possibly from trimming the finished rim. Paste is a light grey cored fabric with a huffish pink to orange exterior. Some areas have a white slip appearance. Fig. 4.61. No. D. (after Martin) An example from Santa Ana Maria wrecked in 1627, five years after that of the A tocha{1622) exhibits similar characteristics as the sample from 1622. The paste is described as "light red earthenware, no slip, typical olive-jar fabric" (Martin; 1990, letter on file). The addition of this example in such close temporal proximity to the 1622 collection further supports their use in a narrow time frame: the early 17th century.

Fig. 4.62. An intact rim and shoulder from a Type 5 jar comprised of 7 sherds. It was hoped that careful excavation would uncover the basal components, however none were discovered. Plate 4.11 shows the jar in situ on the site of the Atocha. The wood chock laying next to the rim may have been used to wedge securely the vessel in the hold as reported in the and Guadalupe wrecks (James: 1985). The rim has pitch residue

OLIVE JAR-TYPE BOTIJAS

on the interior. The rims on all these vessels appear to have been pulled directly from the shoulders. The paste has numerous inclusions, tempered with small mineral particles, with a tannish-white exterior colouration.

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Fig.4.63. Flat-bottomed rims. 1622.

Fig. 4.63. No. A. Rim section similar to above although shaping of interior lip is less defined and slightly cruder with less of interior lip for a cork. The almost vertical slope (as opposed to a steep interior angle) may be exaggerated due to inexact recon­ struction of the rim. Fig. 4.63. No. B One half of a rim similar to the above. Pitch residue is visible on interior. Paste is a tannish cream with fine mineral inclusions.

Fig. 4.64. Similar to the above this example has a pitch residue on the interior and visible rim to neck join marks. Turning marks are visible on the interior while the exterior is well smoothed. Paste is a creamy tan with

mineral inclusions, tempered with fine sandy particles.

Fig. 4.65. No. A. The neck and shoulder sherd of a vessel of similar paste to the wide mouthed botijas. The base of a handle is attached to the exterior vessel wall. Turning

marks end at the shoulder as the neck area is well smoothed. An incised line en­ circles the sherd which appears to be a stylistic feature and not a join mark. The paste colour on the exterior of the vessel has a white slip-like appearance over a tannish to brick paste. The interior fabric colour is more reddish without the white- slip-like coating. The composition of the paste seems more dense than similar fabrics and exhibits similar fine mica­ like inclusions. It is presumed that the handle extended towards the top of the vessel and was attached to or just below the rim to facilitate pouring the contents. Fig. 4,65. No. B. A handle of botija type paste with an orange-tan fabric covered by a white-slip-like coating. This sherd may have been attached to a more verti­ cally walled vessel than the sample at-

Fig. 4.65. Botijas with handles. 1622.

tached to the shoulder due to the angles of its two ends. If the thinner half was facing towards the base, it would then appear that the thicker upper half was either attached to the rim an outwards flaring neck. The handle appears to have separated from where it was joined to the vessel.

OLIVE JAR-TYPE BOTIJAS