Diver Steve Lloyd found the Aleutian 's forward bell at the bow of the ship, resting precariously where it had fallen as its wooden support rotted away.
Constructed of bronze, the Aleutian's bell has remained in excellent condition, considering how long it had been exposed to the corrosive effects of saltwater. The clapper was probably iron, and has long since rusted away.
While not impervious to saltwater corrosion, bronze artifacts fare quite well and normally require only a prolonged freshwater soak to leach absorbed salts out of the metal. A couple of quick snapshots, and this artifact is headed straight for a bucket of fresh water.
The Aleutian carried several bells of various sizes, each employed for a different purpose. The forward bell was used for signaling other vessels in fog, snow and darkness. It weighs 70 lbs and measures 16 inches in diameter.
In the days before radar, captains would often rely on the echo of the ship's steam whistle to gauge their distance from land, but the clanging of the Aleutian's bell would have remained her primary defense against a close encounter with another ship in bad weather.
