BEACON ISLAND EXCAVATIONS 1960s-1980s
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BEACON ISLAND EXCAVATIONS 1960s-1980s
The first known discovery of material relating to the Batavia survivors’ occupation of Beacon Island was in 1960, when rock lobster fisher ‘Pop’ Marten unearthed human bones and historical artefacts, including a trumpet garland inscribed ‘1628’. When Max Cramer, Hugh Edwards and a team of divers found and initiated the underwater excavation of the wreck
in 1963, they also excavated several areas on Beacon Island towards the end of their expedition. Unearthed in the sandy interior of the island were more burials and related seventeenth century artefacts. A site was excavated on the northern end of Beacon Island and artefacts were found at a depth of 7.6–45.0 centimetres. They included a metal object bearing a crest, two
keys, the hinges of a box and ceramic sherds of majolica albarelli (a type of apothecary jar) and other earthenware, possibly also used as apothecary jars. A trench was excavated between the Bevilaqua and Johnson houses, with no further finds. Three more trenches were run off at right angles to the main trench, again with no result.
Collection of artefacts recovered during Beacon Island and Batavia wreck site excavations in 1963.
Credit: M. Brown
Dave Johnson stands next to Henrietta Drake-Brockman, Hugh Edwards, George Brenzi crouched over the skeleton of a Batavia victim, during excavations in 1963.
Credit: M. Brown
Beacon Island Burials, 1960s-1980s
In the 1960s, prior to the WA Museum’s involvement on Beacon Island, three complete burials were excavated. A fractured skull from a fourth burial was also excavated. All of these skeletal remains are now held by the Museum. Each set of human remains has been assigned a unique identifying number.
Individual
Description
Sex
*Age-range
Stature
BIB-1
Calvaria + postcranial skeleton
Female
16-18 yrs
1.61m
BIB-2
Skull + postcranial skeleton
Male
18-20 yrs
N/A
BIB-3
Skull + postcranial skeleton
Male
*20-34 yrs
1.82m
BIB-4
Cranium + postcranial skeleton
Male
*20-34 yrs
1.72m
Key: *Adult age classes following Buikstra & Ubelaker (1994)
N/A – cannot be determined
Skeletal remains of one of the mutiny victims discovered in 1960.
Credit: WA Museum, BIB1
Grave of a mutiny victim excavated in 1963.
Credit: M. Brown
