From Old Cannon to Iron Pigs: The introduction of Kentledge ballast in the early modern French navy

The introduction of iron pigs, or kentledge, was a significant change in the ballasting of warships that heavily impacted early modern naval logistics. A close examination of printed sources and excavation reports of seven shipwrecks demonstrates the French navy’s progressive adaptation of kentledge as ballast around 1759 to 1830. Following British use, iron pigs replaced old cannon and round shot. This change in ballasting practices greatly facilitated naval logistics. Allowing for easy stowage and tessellation in the hold of military ships, the French implementation of kentledge heralded harbour modernization at a time of growing industrialization.