The Seventh “P” – By Dr. Susan Langley

I recently ran across the following quotation regarding profiting from underwater history, archaeology and ocean environments:

“[Profit] A dirty word?  Should there be financial gain from encouraging respect of the ocean and the history it shrouds?  Of course! Even non-profit organizations survive on donations from other people’s earnings and revenues, which are generated by profit.  The Other ‘P’s depend on the support of the profit, as it depends on them.  Without it, Passion dwindles, the Product loses value, Protection & Preservation suffer, and Promotion becomes pointless.  No Profit, end of Dream!”

A New Exhibit: Shipwrecks in Bermuda

From East Carolina University's Shipwrecks in Bermuda Exhibit

The students and faculty in East Carolina University’s 2008 Maritime Studies Fall field school have produced an exhibit based on their research on a selection of shipwrecks and abandoned watercraft within the vicinity of St. George’s Harbor, in Bermuda’s East End.  Videos, slideshows, maps, photographs, and zoom-able images tell the story of how these students explored this incredible collection of submerged cultural resources.

 

We hope you enjoy this latest edition to the MUA.  To view the exhibit click on the “ECU’s Shipwrecks in Bermuda” link on our home here:

 

http://www.themua.org

Maritime Archaeology in Belgium

Artist Reconstruction of Medieval Fishing Village.

PhD researcher Sorna Khakzad returns to the MUA with her second post featuring underwater archaeology in Europe.  Today’s entry on Belgium highlights past work including submerged medieval fishing villages, shipwrecks, exhibitions, and an online maritime database.

You can view her post by clicking on the “Maritime Archaeology in Belgium” link on our main page here: http://www.themua.org

50 Years Later – By Dr. Filipe Castro

In 2010, less than one year from now, George F. Bass and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology will go back to Cape Gelidonya and take a new look at the Late Bronze Age site that 50 years ago was the first shipwreck to be excavated in its entirety on the seabed, by a diving archaeologist, and using the common standards of land archaeology.  The careful excavation, conservation, study, and publication of its artifact collection led archaeologists to believe that this late 13^th-Century BCE ship was originally Near Eastern, probably Syrian or Canaanite, and pushed the beginning of the Phoenician seafaring tradition several centuries back.  Such can be the importance of a shipwreck excavation.

U of West Florida Wraps Up Summer Field School

The underwater archaeology students from the University of West Florida’s summer field school posted their wrap up entry on the MUA. Their work provided details about 16th-century Spanish ship construction and a mid19th-century schooner. Their post also discusses their conservation efforts as well as their search for additional wrecks in Florida’s waters. You can view their final entry here:

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/his/mua/project_journals/wf09/wf09_week13.shtml

Preserving the Submerged Past: The IMH in 2009

The Institute of Maritime History (IMH) just posted an update on the MUA about all the projects they are working on in 2009. It has been a busy year for this group of avocational and professional underwater archaeologists. Check out their post on projects from Florida to Massachusetts to see an excellent model of how the public and professionals can work together to preserve shipwrecks and other submerged sites. It’s a great alternative to the tired conflict between archaeologists and treasure hunters.

You can view the IMH post by clicking on their link under the “New
Entries” section on our home page here:
http://www.themua.org

And Now for Something Completely Different

Ok, so there is no underwater archaeology in this. At least there is something in this about piracy, the Royal Navy, and scuba diving so that’s qualifies as maritime history right? The Expedition to Lake Pahoe.

A New Exhibit – Raising the Fleet: an Art Science Initiative

The MUA is proud to announce the launch of a new fully developed exhibit entitled: Raising the Fleet: an Art / Science Initiative. This innovate project conducted in Lake George, New York brings together underwater archaeology, cell biology, and art in a multidisciplinary study.

Viewers might ask how these three fields can intersect, but artist Elinor Mossop fails to see how they cannot. The sunken remains of British bateaux and the single celled creatures that inhabit the lake bed are all part of the same environment.

The artwork created as a result of this endeavor is on display in three venues; at the Lake George Arts Project Gallery (opening today 8/25/09), on easels resting on the lake bed near sunken British bateaux, and online at the MUA.

We’re proud to take part in such an unusual and creative effort. The web exhibit includes information on the historical background of the colonial sites involved, the methodology used to collect the data and create the artwork, a video about the project, and of course the artwork itself. We hope you enjoy the new exhibit which can be seen here:

http://www.themua.org/raisingthefleet/

Squeaky Wheels – By David Ball

The two previous blog postings have included, to a certain extent, a discussion on the issue of treasure hunting versus archaeology. It is unfortunate that so many conversations on marine archaeology often turn to this well-worn argument; however, it remains an important issue and one that will no doubt continue for the foreseeable future. One reason archaeologists are losing the battle of educating the public on the need to protect submerged archaeological resources is because we fail to voice our concerns in large enough numbers to lawmakers and regulators. So I thought I’d move the discussion toward mentioning an initiative currently underway in the United States.

Japanese Ship Construction, Art, and Continuing Mysteries

Michelle Damian has posted a new entry to her online journal which records her experiences as she continues her research on Japanese ship construction as seen in woodblock prints. In this entry Michelle discusses some of the continuing “mysteries” that she is trying to solve as her research and writing draws to a close. Her post includes one puzzling example from the artwork and a request for help from the audience. You can read this latest post here:

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/his/mua/project_journals/aj/aj_9.shtml

Enjoy!