But the muck and mud under the Gulf of Mexico protected the ship and its myriad contents for three centuries, until it was found and recovered in an unprecedented 1996-97 excavation by the Texas Historical Commission. Now the 381 timbers that once were the bottom half of La Belle are soaking in wooden crates lined with plastic sheets. Nondescript globs of concretelike sediment are X-rayed to reveal either priceless artifacts hidden inside or perfect molds of iron objects corroded away by centuries of seawater. La Belle, along with thousands of artifacts recovered with the sunken ship, constitutes one of the largest conservation projects ever undertaken in the United States. The lab is working under contract from the Texas Historical Commission.
Conservation is absolutely critical with waterlogged artifacts.
The story of the Belle's reassembly and conservation is, at the very least, as significant as its excavation. The work will take at least five years. Some artifacts are already touring the state. The excavation of the flagship of the bold and rather unpleasant explorer La Salle exceeded Bruseth's wildest dreams. It's been an incredibly exciting project.