Mediterranean Field Schools and AAUS Scientific Diving Course

The Illyrian Coastal Exploration Program would like to invite individuals interested in Mediterranean archaeology to apply for the 2013 underwater sciences field school. Set along the beautiful Dalmatian coast from July 8-21, the course spends one week each in Croatia and Montenegro. The field school is hosted by the International Centre for Underwater  Archaeology in Zadar in collaboration with RPM Nautical Foundation and Transylvania University.

Students will work with the international team to learn the basics of underwater archaeology and coastal ecology. This course is suitable for beginners, especially undergraduates and masters students. Participants will learn survey methods, underwater recording, and help with ongoing research. There will even be a chance to see advanced methods up close with a visit to the deep sea research vessel *Hercules*. The field school will explore shipwrecks dating from the 4th century BC through modern times and record artifacts from many different time periods. Though the field school is a general survey of maritime archaeology topics,  students will leave with a good understanding of the fundamental theories and practical  techniques used by archaeologists.

Application: http://www.illyriancoast.org/
Contact: info@illyriancoast.org
Dates: July 8-21
Cost: $2000 (optional university credit available for additional fee)
Application Deadline: May 1

A ten day field school is offered through the Albanian Center for Marine Research from July 23-August 2. This field school will explore the fantastic shipwrecks of southern Albania, ranging from the 5th century BC through World War II. Albania offers untouched submerged sites due to the former communist government’s complete restriction on diving, making Albanian diving today similar to 1950s Mediterranean diving at large: pristine and full of underwater heritage.  Students and staff will be housed in small local hotel in Saranda, directly across from the island  of Corfu and near the Butrint UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Application: http://albaniamarinecenter.org/pages/education.html
Contact: info@albaniamarinecenter.org
Dates: July 23-August 2
Cost: $1000 (optional university credit available for additional fee)
Application Deadline: May 1

The Center is also offering an AAUS scientific diving course. If you arelooking to upgrade your  recreational/sport diver certification in order to work or help out on university or professional  projects, AAUS scientific diving teaches “everything but the hard hat.” After this course you won’t  just know how to dive, you will know how to work underwater. This intensive course will be from June 20-July 3 in beautiful southern Albania.

Application: http://albaniamarinecenter.org/pages/education.html
Contact: info@albaniamarinecenter.org
Dates: June 20-July3
Cost: $1000
Application Deadline: May 1

Underwater Corrosion Testing of the Holland 5 – H.M. Submarine No. 5 By David Crosthwaite-Eyre

Diver using a Cygnus Instruments ultrasonic thickness gauge.

In 1900 the Royal Navy signed a contract to build five ‘Holland’ class submarines. Entering service in 1903, these experimental boats were the Royal Navy’s first submarines, and over the next decade proved the value of the submarine as a weapon of war.

Developments in technology rendered the ‘Hollands’ obsolete and they were either sold for scrap or destined to be used for gunnery practice. HM Submarine No. 5 (the ‘Holland 5’) was en route to a naval yard when it slipped its tow and sunk in 1912. It lay undiscovered off the English south coast until accidentally found in 1995. Now protected by law, it has remained undisturbed on the seabed for almost a century.

In 2010 a Masters student from the School of Applied Sciences at Cranfield University and keen recreational diver, Duncan Harwood, decided to make the Holland 5 the subject of his dissertation.  More specifically, he wished to examine the rate of corrosion suffered by the wreck, and to consider the mechanisms and factors which may have affected that rate of corrosion.

SHA Tech Week: Underwater and Public Archaeology

It’s Tech Week for the SHA blog about underwater and public archaeology.  We’re very pleased to be a part of this with the lead off article. You can read all posts here:  http://www.sha.org/blog/index.php/category/technology/

Kerry Legislation Would Help Protect Historic Site of R.M.S. Titanic

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced legislation recently that would amend the R.M.S. Titanic Maritime Memorial Act of 1986 to protect the wreck site of the Titanic from salvage and intrusive research.

“We’re closing in on one hundred years this month since the tragic sinking of the Titanic that has captured the interest and imagination of people worldwide. I think it’s important to remember that this site on the floor of the Atlantic is a place where so many went to their deaths. It’s hallowed ground, not just some underwater area to be poked at or damaged for commercial reasons,” said Sen. Kerry. “This bill provides the authority necessary to help ensure the site of the Titanic is kept intact.”

One hundred years ago this April 15th, the R.M.S. Titanic sank on its maiden voyage. Shortly after the Titanic was discovered in 1985, Congress enacted the R.M.S. Titanic Maritime Memorial Act of 1986.  The 1986 Act specifically directed the Secretary of State to negotiate an international agreement to designate the Titanic an international maritime memorial and for research, exploration, and salvage of the Titanic to be consistent with relevant guidelines.

The *R.M.S. Titanic Maritime Memorial Preservation Act of 2012 *(S. 2279) would:

- Amend the 1986 Act by providing the Department of Commerce with the authority to protect the Titanic wreck site from salvage and intrusive research;

- Provide authority to monitor and enforce specific scientific rules to protect the public’s interest in the wreck site and collection;

- Propose the establishment of a Titanic Advisory Council, modeled on advisory councils that have been established under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.

Please send any inquiries to jodi_seth@kerry.senate.gov

The Women Divers Hall of Fame Announce Scholarship for Underwater Archaeology

The Women Divers Hall of Fame is currently accepting applications for the Cecelia Connelly Scholarship for Underwater Archaeology, as well as 9 other training grants, to assist women divers in expanding their academic efforts and diving skills. Appplications are due by Novemebr 15. For more informaiton about all of the schlarships and training grants please go to http://www.wdhof.org/scholarships/scholarships.shtml. Questions can be forwarded to Mary_Connelly@uml.edu, Women Divers Hall of Fame Trustee.

Asia-Pacific Regional Conference Interview with Dr. Emad Khalil

The folks at the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage have sent out their September press release.  This month’s release contains an interview with Dr. Emad Khalil, Director of the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Alexandria Egypt.  You can read the interview here.

For more information on the upcoming conference in Manila please visit their website at: http://www.apconf.org

Thank you to Mark Staniforth and Emily Jateff for sending this in to the Underwater Blogger.

Patrimonio Cultural Subacuático y Maritimo en el Peru – Por Carlos E. Ausejo

El Centro Peruano de Arqueología Marítima y Subacuática (CPAMS), se formo a finales del año 2010 y esta formado actualmente por 4 miembros fundadores y una investigadora asociada, buscamos formar un equipo multidisciplinario aunque por el momento solo somos arqueólogos. El CPAMS tiene como objetivo promover la investigación científica arqueológica en ambientes marítimos subacuáticos, medios  fluviales, lacustres, sus zonas terrestres de  interacción así como el impacto del paisaje marítimo en el desarrollo de las sociedades a lo largo del tiempo. Buscamos difundir, proteger, preservar, conservar y poner en valor nuestro patrimonio natural y arqueológico distribuido en 2250 km del litoral pacífico, ríos, lagos costeros y de altura por medio de programas educativos para arqueólogos y talleres de sensibilización y desarrollo social.

La importancia de la arqueología marítima y subacuática en el Perú está en el extraordinario estado de conservación de materiales, que permite acceder a un tipo de información no registrada anteriormente (en el caso prehispánico) así como contrastar las fuentes escritas (época colonial y republicana).

Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage in Peru – By Carlos E. Ausejo

The Peruvian Centre for Maritime and Underwater Archaeology (CPAMS) was started at the end of 2010 and is currently made up of four founding members and an associate researcher. We intend to form a multidisciplinary team although at present we are still only archaeologists. The aim of the CPAMS is to promote scientific archaeological research in underwater maritime environments, rivers and lakes, their interaction areas on land as well as the impact that the maritime landscape has on society’s development over time. We seek to disseminate information on, protect, preserve, and conserve our natural and archaeological heritage that is distributed over the 2250km of the Pacific coastline, rivers, coastal and highland lakes and make it valued, by way of organizing educational programs for archaeologists as well as workshops on social development and awareness.

The importance of maritime and underwater archaeology in Peru lies in the extraordinary state of preservation of the materials which allows access to information not previously recorded (in the case of pre-Hispanic findings) as well as by contrasting findings with written sources. (Colonial and Republican era)

Final Deadline for Inaugural Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage

Dear potential conference participant,

The deadline for paper proposals (abstracts) for the Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM) Inaugural Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage is Thursday 30 June 2011 and that is fast approaching.

PLease either send your paper proposals to me through the website submission system or directly to:

Mark.Staniforth@flinders.edu.au

Regards

Mark

The Inaugural Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM) Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage

The Third and Final Call for Papers is now available on the Conference Organization page see:
http://www.apconf.org/call-for/second-call-for-papers/

DEADLINE for submission of paper proposals is 30 June 2011

The Conference Organizers are now accepting applications for financial assistance for paper presenters to attend the conference. In order to be eligible for financial assistance you must have proposed a paper and had it accepted for presentation at the conference. To apply for financial assistance complete the form at:
http://www.apconf.org/about/financial-assistance/

The Conference registration fees are now available at:
http://www.apconf.org/about/conference-registration-fees/

Accepted paper proposals for each of the 11 (and soon to be 12) sessions are
available on the Conference Organization page see, for example:
http://www.apconf.org/call-for/session-1/

For the latest news about the Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM) Inaugural
Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage see:
http://www.apconf.org/about/news/

Adjunct Associate Professor Mark Staniforth
Chair – Scientific Committee
On behalf of the Conference Organising Committee
Email: Mark.Staniforth@flinders.edu.au
See the Conference website at: http://www.apconf.org/