Ancient Cannons Discovered Near Arch Cape on Oregon Coast

Another instance where an important "discovery" gets its creds from
the location. Cannon Beach is a big time resort community for Oregon,
finding a buried cannon near Cannon Beach is like finding gold. Parks
and Recreation spokesman Chris "Havel says it is important for people
to visit the shore and see the artifacts, but in a way that protects
your safety and preserves the integrity of the artifacts."



Ancient Cannons Discovered Near Arch Cape on Oregon Coast
Tim King Salem-News.com

This level of discovery is extremely uncommon. Officials are asking
people to people stay clear of the cannons for now but photos are
fine.
(Pic at the cite)

(CANNON BEACH, Ore.) - Visitors to the Oregon coast near Arch Cape
south of Cannon Beach in Clatsop County, discovered a pair of cannon
buried in the beach sand. Natural erosion revealed the artifacts over
the weekend.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department manages recreation on the
ocean shore, and is responsible for state archaeological sites.

The agency's Chris Havel says, "It's tremendously exciting to see
Oregon's past pay us a visit. The Oregon coast was set aside for its
citizens in the early part of the 20th century for just this
reason ... to ensure we can all enjoy and learn from the Oregon
landscape."

Havel says it is important for people to visit the shore and see the
artifacts, but in a way that protects your safety and preserves the
integrity of the artifacts.

Preserving the cannons' integrity

Archaeologists say this could very well be an important historic site.
Moving, touching, or taking parts of the cannon instantly destroys
historical information that could help them understand where the
cannons are from and what they mean to Oregon history.

They are asking people who go near the site to take photos and record
video, but to please not touch the historic artifacts or any others in
the vicinity.

Havel suggests that if you see someone trying to touch or move the
cannon, politely ask them to help protect the cannon by keeping hands
off. "Historians and archaeologists are quickly devising a plan to
protect these important artifacts, and to study the broader area. The
Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will distribute more
information about how people can be involved in the plan as soon as
possible."

Questions over what ship this is and when it went up on the beach in
Oregon remain unanswered, Havel said. It is just too early.

"We don't know anything. There is speculation about what ship it was
or what era it was from."

He says there is plenty of speculation too. People from the coast
quickly move to the theory of this being the wreck of the vessel that
one Oregon coast city is named for.

"What I love is wondering if is it from the U.S.S. Shark, an 1846
shipwreck that gave Cannon Beach its name."

How big if a deal is this for the state of Oregon?

"A very big deal," Havel said. "When archaeologist groups drop what
they are doing and head to the coast like this, you can see it is
extremely important."

He finished by saying that, "At the very least it is the coolest thing
that has happened to us in years."

This level of discovery is extremely uncommon. Havel hopes that people
stay clear of the cannons until state officials have a plan to remove
them. They will eventually be made available for public display.

http://www.archaeologynews.org/story.asp?ID=264129&Title=Ancient%20Cannons%20Discovered%20Near%20Arch%20Cape%20on%20Oregon%20Coast
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