Archaeobotanical analyses together with historical records can provide unique information about the cargoes and histories of sunken ships, which are found as wrecks at the bottom of the seas all over the world. An interdisciplinary research project was undertaken on the Vrouw Maria (Lady Mary), a Dutch wooden two-masted merchant ship that sank on October 9th in 1771 in the Finnish Baltic Sea. She rested at a depth of 41 m and was in good condition when discovered. Based on written sources and archaeological research, the ship was carrying a valuable cargo including, for example, sugar, dyes, cloth, porcelain, wood and goods that the Russian nobility had ordered. Among them were paintings that the Russian Empress Catherine the Great (1729–1796) had bought at an auction in Amsterdam. Samples from four wooden barrels and from one wooden packing crate among the ship’s cargo were investigated. Botanical analysis revealed products such as stimulants, dyes and fruits originating from the Mediterranean, India, Africa and South America. One of the most intriguing finds from the cargo was Indigofera tinctoria L. (true indigo), a valuable dye plant. Our paper presents the botanical data analysed from the barrels and summarizes the plants mentioned in the historical records on the cargo of the Vrouw Maria.

考古植物学分析和历史记录可以提供有关沉船的货物和历史的独特信息，这些沉船在世界各地的海底都是沉船。在Vrouw Maria（玛丽夫人）号上进行了一项跨学科研究项目，这艘荷兰木质两桅商船于1771年10月9日在芬兰波罗的海沉没。她在41 m的深度处休息，被发现时状况良好。根据书面资料和考古研究，该船运载的贵重货物包括糖，染料，布料，瓷器，木材和俄罗斯贵族订购的货物。其中包括俄国皇后凯瑟琳大帝（1729–1796）在阿姆斯特丹的拍卖会上购买的画作。调查了该船货物中来自四个木制桶和一个木制包装箱的样品。植物学分析显示，源自地中海，印度，非洲和南美的产品，如兴奋剂，染料和水果。从货物中发现的最有趣的发现之一是靛蓝Indigofera tinctoria L.（真正的靛蓝），一种有价值的染料植物。我们的论文介绍了从桶中分析的植物数据，并总结了Vrouw Maria货物历史记录中提到的植物。