A systematic inventory of each individual object was carried out in the form of handwritten forms that were kept in a file in the inventory lab. These forms were then entered into an Access database, to which were added photographic images, sketches and drawings of the various objects.
Over time, an inventory guide was put together during the project, using the various documentation published and used for each functional group of objects employed aboard ship. The goal of this guide was to encourage the identification and classification of objects based on their function, in order to better customise the major functional families that would be stowed on board a ship.
Right from the start, specific inventory forms were used for organic material, which represented some 70% of finds. A form was developed that laid emphasis on how wooden objects were shaped and cut, as well as on the systematic identification of the type of wood used. Another form for ropes was also created during the project. When they were discovered, the various organic objects were miraculously preserved, but they inexorably lost their lustre once they were removed from the water. It was thus crucial to note as early as possible any traces of wear, distinctive markings, fittings and coatings that their surfaces might present.
