Expert: Ralph Salier - 11/17/2005

Question
Ralph,

This is excellent information.  I appreciate it.

My initial thoughts about the cave are:

There are holes in the celing that lead to the surface, letting in a bit of light and air.

The boys have traveled at least 100 feet through many twists and turns, so the cave is well away from direct contact with the ocean.

However, the fun of being an author is that I get to work at things backward - so the qualities of the cave will be reflective of what I need it to do in the story.

I would like to have a treasure chest with jewelry (gold and gems) that are well enough preserved to maintain their value.  I'm also thinking of a writing desk, an ink jar (empty), a book, a suit of armor, a wooden chest of clothing.  All these could be in any state of decomposition.

Could the cave I'm describing have such objects (particularly the treasure well enough preserved)?  Or should I make it deeper in the ground and away from fresh air and light entirely?

A last thought, are their any circumstances under which paper (parchment?) and writing would have survived?

Craig

***

That greatly depends on the conditions in the cave. It is above the water but does that mean that it never gets wet inside? or does water get into the cave during storms? Or is it a totaly dry cave with a curve and slight up slope which would help shield it from moisture?

In a totally dry cave, even facing the sea, you will get corrosion of iron and perhaps early steel items so nails, armor, weapons may be lumps of rust. On the other hand burried and away from salt mist, they may be fairly well preserved. Coins of gold, silver and copper would all be in good condition. Wooden objects would be in reasonably good condition, so a treasure chest could well be preserved in such a cave. Even clothing under the right circumstances could survive.

On the othe hand any amount of moisure could lead to decompostion of cloth and wood but would not impact coins of noble metals. It would not impact leather either way at that age.

provide the parameters of the cave and I will provide greater definition.-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi Ralph

I am a writer based in Seattle, WA.  I'm working on a story about two boys in a cave in Southern California who discover a treasure left by a shipwrecked Spaniard (around 1772). The cave is about 100 feet inside a cliff and 40 feet above sea level (the water does not reach this cave).

My question is, what might survive 230 years in a cave?  Personal effects such as clothing? Wood objects such as a desk or a bassinet?  Metal objects such as weapons or boxes or coins?

If anything could survive this amount of time what condition would they be in?  What would be the best possible conditions to preserve these items?

Any thoughts you might have would be welcome.

Sincerely,

Craig English
Answer -
Hi Craig,  

That greatly depends on the conditions in the cave.  It is above the water but does that mean that it never gets wet inside? or does water get into the cave during storms?  Or is it a totaly dry cave with a curve and slight up slope which would help shield it from moisture?  

In a totally dry cave, even facing the sea, you will get corrosion of iron and perhaps early steel items so nails, armor, weapons may be lumps of rust.  On the other hand burried and away from salt mist, they may be fairly well preserved.  Coins of gold, silver and copper would all be in good condition. Wooden objects would be in reasonably good condition, so a treasure chest could well be preserved in such a cave.  Even clothing under the right circumstances could survive.  

On the othe hand any amount of moisure could lead to decompostion of cloth and wood but would not impact coins of noble metals.  It would not impact leather either way at that age.  

provide the parameters of the cave and I will provide greater definition.

Answer
Hi Craig,

No holes to the top side for fresh air or sunlight.  It also means that rain can fall in.  Bad news.  Twists and turns are good.  Sloping upward is also good.  Dry is best.  So a wooden treasure chest would survive well along with jewels, coins and other treasures.  Parchment (animal skin) type paper would survive especially in an enclosed container (like the Dead Sea Scrolls), The clothing would survive in a chest as well along with the writing desk and a glass or ceramic ink well.  The armor, may be somewhat rusted but it depends on a multitude of factors.  If it is somewhat buried, then it may be in fairly good condition.  

Paper is very fragile and it could survive but if it has any amount of acid (which many old papers do) it would not survive.  If the cave is deeper, this would be good too.  

Think of what kinds of materials are found in dry caves like near the Dead Sea, or the arid caves of the Andes and the Himilayas. Or the sealed tombs of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Things stored in dry cool conditions last a very long time.