In 1984 a team of underwater archaeologists discovered the wreckage of an 18th-century gally off the coast of Cape Cod that had been lost for over 250 years. The ship, called the Whydah, was a slave ship that had been commandeered by the pirate "Black Sam" Bellamy during the Golden Age of Piracy. Buried under feet of sand lay a treasure trove of artifacts, including household items, maps, weapons, thousands of coins, and a collection of gold Akan jewelry, some of which is now on view in the exhibition The Power of Gold: Asante Royal Regalia from Ghana.
Join Chris Macort, Underwater Field Archaeologist and Director of Exhibits at the Whydah Pirate Museum, to hear the fascinating history of the Whydah's multiple lives, its sinking, and ongoing efforts to conserve artifacts recovered from the site. Arrive early for a complimentary beer and wine reception before the talk.
This talk is presented by the Boshell Family Lecture Series on Archaeology in conjunction with the new exhibition The Power of Gold: Asante Royal Regalia from Ghana. The exhibition includes over 200 gleaming gold items of regalia, colorful and intricately woven silk kente cloth, ceremonial furniture, state swords, linguist staffs, and other significant objects related to Asante royals from the 19th through the 21st centuries. The Power of Gold reveals the splendor of Asante regalia with objects from private and public collections, including works in the DMA's collection.
Image: Linguist staff (okyeame poma) (detail), Ghana, Asante peoples, first half of the 20th century, wood and gold leaf, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., 2010.1.McD