Archaeologists: Mystery debris found on Florida beach likely shipwreck remains from 1800s

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. - The mystery items found along a Florida beach are likely shipwreck remains from the mid to late 1800s, state archaeologists said during a visit to the Daytona Beach Shores site Tuesday.

SKYFOX flew over the area as archaeologists worked to uncover the remains of what was likely a merchant ship they believe was more than 80 feet long. 

"Imagine as many Amazon trucks that you see on the roads today, this was the equivalent in the 1800s," Christopher McCarron, archaeology administrative director and the vessel captain of the St. Augustine maritime program, said.

The debris appeared along the Volusia County beach a couple of weeks ago after part of the beach was washed away following Hurricane Nicole. Archaeologists said they aren't expecting to find any artifacts due to it being so close to the shore.

"Sometimes you can make the connection between what was being transported and what was being built at the time. It’s too early to say unfortunately. We're having a fight to tide," McCarron said. 

Unless the remains are of historical significance, archeologists said it may not be important enough to excavate. They were able to uncover timber samples which they believe will allow them to find out when the ship was built and where it came from. 

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"That’s where those diagnostic artifacts identifiers come in handy, to help us narrow down potential areas. Unfortunate for this particular wreck, we might not have that information still left," McCarron said.