The Case:
A woman in Portland, Oregon has a large chunk of what she believes is very old beeswax.
This 23-pound block, dug up on the northern Oregon coast in the late 1930s, seems to have been deliberately carved with strange markings. For centuries, ships carried beeswax on trade routes across the Pacific Ocean.
Could this beeswax have been cargo aboard a Spanish Galleon that wrecked over 300 years ago? And what do those odd markings mean?
History Detectives unlocks the clues to decipher where the beeswax came from and which ship may have brought it to the Oregon Coast.
Season 7, Episode 2
Detective:
Elyse Luray
Location:Portland, Oregon and Olympia, Washington
Related Content
Related Links
Explore
-
Related Investigation
Front Street Blockhouse
Did this unassuming house protect an American colony from attack almost 300 years ago?
-
Related Investigation
Society Circus Program
Why are some of New York's wealthiest planning a circus at the depth of the Great Depression?
-
Also in Season 7
N.E.A.R Device
Was this device invented to help Americans believe they could survive a Soviet nuclear attack?
-
Also with Elyse Luray
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Why would writing this song be bad for Bob Nolan?
-
Also with Elyse Luray
Blueprint Special
Did this record play a dramatic role in the Allied victory during the Second World War?
-
Also with Elyse Luray
Black Star Line
Is this certificate a rare artifact from the heyday of Marcus Garvey?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.
Video:
Technique:
Technique: