Jeremy,
 
I concur with your comments about the different contri-
butions that archaeology can offer above and beyond the
kind of administrivia the ship lines' company records
state.
 
I recall a ghost freighter that wrecked on the Silver
Strand in 1965 (San Diego, CA USA) which burned.  Forensic
analysis of the ship found the stateroom doors locked
from the hallway, human teeth and calcium dust in all
the rooms, and huge puddles of silver and gold in the
hull.  Just goes to show the company records can be
misleading.
 
Regarding what archaeology has to offer, I am research
ing a Spanish 18th century fort in San Diego that was
covered with fill from 19th century whaling companies
and again in the 20th century by U.S. Army activities.
You would think all the administrivia records of the
American military would leave little to discover.  Yet,
the records only stated tha National Guard units trained
out there;  archaeology recovered the badges of units
from the State of Idaho and Infantry badges indicating
cross-training of different units.  We also found the
trash of dependents, which opened up a whole new world
of insight on the relative quality of life.
 
Likewise, analysis of the artifacts from guests in
various levels of staterooms could be used to challenge
traditional hypotheses on the wealthy class of guests
and their relative social status.  Analysis of crew
quarters and officer quarters would provide further
data on social ranking, relative wealth, and even
ethnicity and gender studies.  Ethnoscience studies
probably would reveal our misconceptions after so many
years.
 
Ron May
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