Maritime archaeology

Mankind has plied the seas for millennia, leaving in its path a wealth of information hidden beneath the waves. Maritime archaeology is dedicated to studying and understanding these underwater treasures, as well as any maritime remains on land. In the dynamic environment of the sea, these archaeological sites are often badly damaged. Careful archaeological research can decipher a bygone way of life from the remains of hulls, fragments of rope and sail and personal possessions.

The techniques used are basically similar to those used on land – careful surveying and recording of exposed remains, and excavation. But of primary concern to maritime archaeologists is the recovery of as much information as possible whilst minimising disruption to the wreck site.

Surveying is very important because how and where the remains lie is vital to understanding the site. Using tape measures and grids, records can be built up without disturbing the wreck. And if a site is to be excavated, the survey will record evidence of what the wreck originally looked like.

Although excavation can reveal a lot of information about a wreck, most finds from the ocean will start to decay once they are lifted out of the water and they can be costly to preserve. Removing the layer of silt that has covered and preserved the remains for years also exposes them to the destructive forces of the sea and micro-organisms. When excavation is the only way to find out essential information, it is carried out using an airlift, which sucks up the silt like a hoover. Any exposed and vulnerable artefacts are lifted to the surface for conservation.

Whole wrecks are very rarely raised from the seabed. The most notable to have been restored in this way are the Tudor warship Mary Rose in Portsmouth and the Swedish warship Vasa in Stockholm, Sweden.

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