Identifying the shipwrecks

During the excavation, a portrait of the two ships gradually became clear. The various clues, which were filed, ranked and interpreted, gradually revealed the identity of the two frigates, both of them built in northwest France. After false starts, mistaken hypotheses and corrections, an accurate image of the two shipwrecks emerged from the archaeological data.
We now know that the frigate Natière 1 sank shortly after 1702/1703, and that it had contact with Le Havre, Saint-Malo and England. It had a light framework, which helped lighten the hull, a prodigious hold and a solid deck that could bear the weight of heavy artillery. Its weaponry, hull-shape and the use of oars tell us that the vessel was easily manoeuvrable and capable of going on the offensive. The Natière 2 ship foundered shortly after 1748, that it had connections with Saint-Malo and that its figurehead was that of a contemporary person. Its heavy framework and twin decks made it a more imposing vessel than Natière 1, despite its smaller firepower.
Once the archaeological data was in, it was time to consult the archives in an attempt to put names to these wrecked ships.