Two prams wrecked on the Zuider Zee in the late eighteenth century

The two wrecks considered in this study are the remains of a type of inland freighter generally identified as praam (pram). The wrecks were designated, E14 and AZ71, after the agricultural lots where they were found. The E14 and AZ71 both share a similar hull construction and have analogous artefact assemblages. Both wreck sites date to the second half on the eighteenth century, the vessels sinking within fifty years of one another. This date is supported by coins, lighthouse tokens, and the style of ceramics and other artefacts. Although similar in vessel type and artefact assemblages, the shipwrecks were differentially preserved and recorded. the E14 was the better preserved of the two, but was recorded in a salvage excavation. The AZ71 was more accurately recorded, but was poorly preserved. Despite these intial research problems, an interpretion of both vessels together permits the complementary study of the pram vessel type and shipboard organization. This comparison shows marked similarities in their construction and artefact assemblages, but also shows some variance in construction and shipboard organization.