Welding, Joining and Additive Manufacturing International Conference 2015

This article presents three case studies of metal objects manufactured by joining processes, retrieved from two shipwrecks: Tantura F (7th–8th centuries AD) and Akko 1 (early 19th century). The analyses were based on advanced archaeometallurgical investigations and observations by the authors. Both non-destructive and destructive methods: radiography, optical microscopy, SEM with EDS, XRF, OES and microhardness measurements, were employed. Although concentrating on metallurgical tools, these studies were multidisciplinary, combining typological analyses of the archaeological objects, as well as the historical perspective.The first case study is of an iron anchor from the Tantura F shipwreck, manufactured from several different blooms made by the direct process. The blooms were joined using forge-welding by an expert blacksmith, resulting in a high-quality iron product. The blooms used in the anchor's round cross-section shank were forge-welded of iron and steel pieces, producing a composite material with superior mechanical properties.The second case study presents a 12-pdr cannonball from the Akko 1 shipwreck, manufactured from high-quality wrought iron produced by an indirect technique, using the hot-forge-welding process. As its production technique pre-dates that of the ship, it is suggested that this cannonball was manufactured in a different place and by a different technology from the other cannonballs found in the shipwreck. It is also possible that the 12-pdr cannonball might have been used as ballast.The third case study deals with brass cases from the Akko 1 shipwreck, manufactured from rolled sheets of brass that may have originated in Great Britain. The parts were joined by soldering with tin-lead alloy, and it is suggested that the cases were made in an Egyptian workshop.