Metal shipwrecks in Patagonia, Argentina: contributions to their research and management.

While iron and steamship archaeology dates from the mid‐1970s, the archaeological study of late 19th and early 20th century metal‐hulled vessels, especially those off the coast of South America is in its infancy. This paper deals with two steel‐hulled shipwrecks located on the coast of Patagonia, southern Argentina, from anthropological, archaeological, and site management perspectives. The chief research questions discussed relate to each vessel's role and use on a remote coast, the technology involved in their operation, and the site formation processes following the vessels' loss. Their management as a recently acknowledged part of the region's 'patrimony' (cultural heritage) and their presentation to an increasingly aware public are also discussed in the context of each site's unique location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]