Geoarchaeology: An International Journal, Vol. 26, No. 2, 219–244 (2011) © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI:10.1002/gea.20349 Geoarchaeology of the Nehalem Spit: Redistribution of Beeswax Galleon Wreck Debris by Cascadia Earthquake and Tsunami (A.D. 1700), Oregon, USA Curt D. Peterson, 1, * Scott S. Williams, 2 Kenneth M. Cruikshank, 1 and John R. Dubè 3 1 Portland State University, Portland, Oregon 97207 2 Washington State Department of Transportation, Olympia, Washington 98501 3 P.O. Box 212, Manzanita, Oregon 97130 A coincidence of the Beeswax galleon shipwreck (ca. A.D. 1650–1700) and the last Cascadia earthquake tsunami and coastal subsidence at A.D. 1700 redistributed and buried wreck artifacts on the Nehalem Bay spit, Oregon, USA. Ground-penetrating radar profiles ( 7 km total distance), sand auger probes, trenches, cutbank exposures (29 in number), and surface cob- ble counts (49 sites) were collected from the Nehalem spit (5 km 2 area). The field data demonstrate (1) the latest prehistoric integrity of the spit, (2) tsunami spit overtopping, and (3) coseismic beach retreat since the A.D. 1700 great earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone. Wreck debris was (1) initially scattered along the spit ocean beaches, (2) washed over the spit by nearfield tsunami (6–8 m elevation), and (3) remobilized in beach strandlines by cat- astrophic beach retreat. Historic recovery of the spit (150 m beach progradation) and modern foredune accretion (5 m depth) have buried both the retreat scarp strandlines and associ- ated wreck artifacts. The recent onshore sand transport might re-expose heavy ship remains in the offshore area if the wreck grounded in shallow water (20 m water depth of closure). © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. INTRODUCTION In this paper we propose a mechanism for the dispersal and burial of Beeswax wreck debris on the Nehalem spit at about A.D. 1700 (Figure 1). Recovered debris from this wreck is reported to include substantial quantities of beeswax blocks and candles, teak ship’s timbers, and Chinese porcelains (Hult, 1968; Marshall, 1984; Woodward, 1986a, 1986b). The extensive deposits of beeswax blocks and candles found widely spread around Nehalem Spit and Bay throughout the 19th century lent their name to the vessel, which wrecked prior to European exploration and settle- ment of this part of the coast (Marshall, 1984; Williams, 2008). Large teak timbers were reportedly recovered during the mid to late 19th and early 20th centuries from the interior of the northern end of the Nehalem sand spit *Corresponding author; E-mail: petersonc@pdx.edu. GEA262_05_20349.qxd 2/1/11 1:04 PM Page 219