1986.008.1005a
Pitch Pot
Physical Object
1986.008.1005a
Nuestra Señora de Atocha or Santa Margarita (1622)
circa 1620
A copper pitch pot found on the wreck of the 1622 galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha still contains resinous pine pitch. The pot would have been heated so the pitch would soften into a thick, sticky liquid that could be used as a sealant or adhesive. The rumples, creases, and ripples in the surface of pitch make it appear to have been quickly solidified: Perhaps it was being heated as the Atocha sailed and was “frozen in time” when the ship sank? The copper cauldron has a maximum diameter of 39.8 centimeters, but the rivet holes along the upper edge indicate it once had additional panels that made it both taller and wider.