Amsterdam Scientists Study Palmhoutwrak Golden Buttons

Scientists in Amsterdam are investigating the red decoration inside golden buttons recovered from the Palmhoutwrak. The seventeenth-century objects are made from an alloy of almost 21-carat gold, and their unusual appearance has left researchers with questions about where they were made and who owned them. One possibility is that the red filling contains dragon’s blood, a resin from the dragon’s blood tree. That remains a possibility rather than a confirmed finding. Examination at the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed’s laboratory in Amsterdam is helping researchers investigate the material.

Introduction to the Palmhoutwrak Discovery
Materials and Craftsmanship of the Golden Buttons
Scientific Analysis Using the Scanning Electron Microscope
Historical Context and Possible Origins of the Buttons
Questions About the Buttons’ Journey to the Palmhoutwrak
Exhibition and Ongoing Research Opportunities

Introduction to the Palmhoutwrak Discovery

The golden buttons were recovered from the Palmhoutwrak in 2024. They belong to a set of unusual objects that researchers have continued to study since their discovery. The current report follows the examination of a button’s red decoration, rather than announcing a newly found wreck or a newly recovered object. That distinction places the news in the ongoing work at the Amsterdam laboratory.

The investigation brings the objects into an Amsterdam laboratory, where material specialists can examine them in detail. Researchers are trying to identify the substances used in the decoration and assess what those materials might reveal about the buttons’ origins. The work is still an investigation: identifying a possible ingredient would offer a new lead, rather than settle every question about the find.

Materials and Craftsmanship of the Golden Buttons

The buttons are made from a gold alloy with a content of almost 21 carats. According to the source report, objects of this kind would have been costly in the seventeenth century and were probably intended for the clothing of someone from the elite. Different colours decorate the buttons, with the red filling attracting particular attention from the researchers.

The red material has raised the possibility of dragon’s blood, a resin obtained from the dragon’s blood tree. Researchers are investigating whether that explanation fits the material inside these particular buttons. The distinction matters: the name of a possible ingredient is a research question, and the red colour alone does not establish what the filling contains.

Illustrative image — photo by Petrit Nikolli on Pexels. This image does not document the reported event.

Scientific Analysis Using the Scanning Electron Microscope

The latest examination uses a scanning electron microscope, known as an SEM. After months of conservation, one of the buttons is ready for closer investigation. The microscope lets researchers zoom into a very small part of the material and see its microstructure. In the source report, Ineke Joosten carefully places the button in the instrument, bringing a portion of the red filling into view.

In the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed’s laboratory in Amsterdam, experts Ineke Joosten and Janneke van der Stok have prepared one of the golden buttons for SEM analysis. This method will help determine if the red substance truly is dragon’s blood resin or a different compound, providing crucial evidence for tracing the buttons’ origin and usage.

Historical Context and Possible Origins of the Buttons

The source reports that no comparable buttons are known, which makes their place of manufacture difficult to establish. The gold content and decoration provide details to examine, but they do not yet identify a maker or an owner. The researchers are considering possible origins while continuing to investigate the material itself.

The shape and decoration may point towards Central Europe. A possible origin in Anatolia, within the Ottoman Empire, has not been ruled out either. These remain alternatives under consideration. Establishing what the red filling contains could give researchers an additional clue, but the source does not present a confirmed geographical origin for the buttons.

Questions About the Buttons’ Journey to the Palmhoutwrak

How the buttons ended up aboard the Palmhoutwrak remains unresolved. The researchers consider whether they were cargo intended for sale or personal possessions belonging to someone on the ship. Neither explanation is presented as settled. Identifying the red material could provide another starting point for research into the objects’ history, while leaving questions about ownership and transport open.

Exploring whether the buttons were part of merchandise or personal adornment influences interpretations of the wreck’s historical narrative. Confirming the material details, such as the presence of dragon’s blood resin, could provide new clues to track the provenance and trading routes linked to the Palmhoutwrak.

Exhibition and Ongoing Research Opportunities

The extraordinary findings, including these golden buttons, are part of the exhibition “Schip vol Raadsels” at Huis van Hilde in Castricum, where visitors can see the artifacts and learn about current research developments. This exhibition invites the public to engage with the mysteries and complexities of maritime archaeology.

Furthermore, an eight-episode reportage series titled “De Geheimen van het Palmhoutwrak” documents the investigative process and the unfolding story behind the wreck. This series is available from August 28 onwards on NH television and online, providing deep insights into the multi-disciplinary research conducted in support of the exhibition.