hum lead sheathing normally is a is very much older vessel , but copper sheating means a newer era type vessel as a general rule . look very carefully at the types of crockery found .--- they should be very differant types at the differant "sheathing" time frames . ----- a co mingled wreck area is very possible what was dangerous to a 1600's sailing vessel was still dangerous to an early 1800's sailing vessel.
true as patch material --lead was used --- a lot depends on the amount of and type of sheathing found was it a whole lead sheathed hull * or merely "patch material" or something on a copper bottomed vessel ( thus a later wreck)-- now a fully sheathed lead hull means much older vessel * (possible spanish treasure vessel ) if so their should be some crockery bits from the "proper " time frame 1600 /1700 -- however if the only crockery bits are more fairly modern type bits (1800's era) -- then its patch material, ect from a more modern wreck.-- short of coins --crockery can be a great aid in dating a wreck site.
Lead sheeting has been found on wrecks dating back to the 3rd century BC. However, it was not until the early 1500's that it was commonly used by ships that spent a lot of time in the warm Caribbean waters.
Spanish 1520
Portuguese 1580
English 1760
Dutch 1780
French 1780
It was not until the late 1700's early 1800's the sea fairing nations started using Copper sheeting.
This is a picture of lead sheeting I discovered on an early 1800's wreck off the Florida coast several years ago.
with the 1860 / 1882 era english plate shard -- the copper sheathing ( most likey muntz metal 60 copper /40 zinc)* means 1800 era or earlier-- the muntz fastner -
my wild azz guess would be you've found an english sailing vessel dating from 1860 to 1882 era (possibly even a bit later)-- depending on wither the plate was "cargo" or ships use goods . if cargo -- then the 1860 /1882 range --if ship's used crockery could be a bit later still--the tip off would be is there more that a few shards if carried as cargo they should be a fair bit of em .
if you got a fair bit of these type of plate shards --"cargo" --I'd say most likely a 1860 / 1882 time frame- english sailing vessel (or at the very least a vessel that traded in "english goods" and was hulled / repaired in england)
after the civil war once steam became the major force in the shipping world , these sailing vessels pretty much slowly but surely died out during that "time frame" --
often these sailing "trading" vessels became niche market vessels -- hauling goods on routes that were not profietible enough for steam vessels -- or cargo's that was not "in a rush" and that needed to be hauled cheaply price wize.
This is the part where it is useful to have proper help. This is why people also frown heavily on undertakings such as this. I am not trying to squash anyone's fun or drive to explore. But it is difficult to make a case for being "interested" in historic wrecks and not following through doing the rest of the work involved.
Whittman, I don't know you or your intentions. I not throwing rocks at you in particular, I'm trying to point out that your activities are giving ammo to people who would like to see interests like this to go away. For all anyone here knows, you've got the site all gridded off, plotted, and mapped, and the artifacts undergoing conservation at a nice lab somewhere.
to hunt down or try to find a "treasure" shipwreck site and then try to find out if its a vessel wortthy of contacting the "professionals" to come in on (with you getting for a piece of the action for discovery) is one thing --- however to find a wreck and id it just to go about the looting of it is another matter . --- ( so do it legally or not at all. ) -- artifacts once photographed for id purposes should be replaced exactly were they came from if they came off a wreck site. or if possible photographed in place.
iding a ship in and of itself can be "fun" even if its not a big money vessel -- I like figgering out the puzzle of what time frame / country of origin / its name was if possible.
however that said --- weekend warriors types mucking about looking to secertly loot items from shipwrecks -- is heavily frowned on by both the state and pro salvors .
yes its a pain to do it legally * but do it that way or no way.