FORT MYERS, Florida – In 2022, storm surge from Hurricane Ian washed a roughly nine-foot dugout canoe ashore from a riverbed in Fort Myers. The resident who found it on the shore contacted the Florida Division of Historical Resources, and archaeologists collected the artifact for preservation in Tallahassee.
The Florida Division of Historical Resources has finished conserving the canoe, which entered the custody of the division in September 2024 and was treated by preservationists at the Bureau of Archaeological Research’s Conservation Lab.
The canoe, made from a single tree trunk and extremely fragile after spending centuries underwater, underwent cataloging, photography, 3D scanning, cleaning, and consolidation to stabilize its surface and prevent further deterioration.
Small wood samples were sent out for radiocarbon dating and verification of the wood type. Before treatment, the wood appeared lighter in color; the consolidation process caused it to darken, a standard outcome that helps preserve the artifact for long-term study.
The canoe’s form is highly unusual compared to typical Florida examples, and research continues to pinpoint its origin and age. Comparisons to Caribbean vessels suggest possible regional ties, potentially classifying it as a cayuco—a small dugout used in Hispanic countries for river and coastal navigation…