Extremely rare artifact. Marine salvage Florida Treasure coast 1715 plate fleet shipwreck original oak ships keel section with bronze spikes.
Salvaged in 1994 after a winter storm, soaked for two years in fresh water to preserve the wood, four bronze spikes were embedded in the wood, removed to preserve as keel was soaking. The wood keel measures about(10') ten feet long,(8") eight inches wide by(5") five inches thick. Weighs about 135 pounds, very solid wood well preserved with some wood pegs and many holes where wood pegs and bronze spikes were used. The original 3 bronze spikes(4-5"long, 3/8-1/2"square), one bronze keel bolt(10" long, 1"diameter), and one wood peg included(other wood pegs are embedded in the keel).