Archaeology of the Ljubljanica River (Slovenia): early underwater investigations and some current issues

Abundant archaeological evidence and specific geomorphologic features make the upper course of the Ljubljanica River running through Ljubljana Moor (Slovenia) one of the most interesting rivers in Europe. Roman bronze vessels and iron weapons found by chance in the Ljubljanica at Vrhnika, the ancient Nauportus, led the director of the Provincial Museum in Ljubljana, Karel Dežman, to devise a large scale plan for an underwater survey of the riverbed. This, one of the first modern research projects of underwater archaeology was executed in 1884 with the help of divers from the Austro-Hungarian naval base in Pula. Investigations by the Group for Underwater Archaeology and the activities of amateur divers from 1979 onwards revealed distinctly structured distributions of underwater finds on several sites in the upper course of the river indicating possible sacred places with votive offerings and funeral sites, as well as other non-ritual concentrations.     

An assessment of quality in underwater archaeological surveys using tape measurements

The quality of an underwater archaeological survey using 3D trilateration with fibreglass tape measures was established on an underwater test site. A precision of 25 mm was calculated for tape measurements giving a position accuracy of 43 mm. Of the 304 measurements which were made during the tests, 20% were found to be in error.     

Preliminary Investigations of Two Shipwreck Sites in Cahuita National Park,Costa Rica

Recent underwater archaeological investigations in Costa Rica focused on two sites as potential candidates for Danish West Indies slave ships wrecked in 1710. Historical research suggests a landmark wrecking event associated with a large infusion of Africans, many who remained in Central America. This paper is the first interim report of two fieldwork seasons combining field methods, research, and preliminary interpretation of the findings with voyage history. Context within the broader theme of slave‐ship archaeology and Costa Rica Caribbean landscape is addressed. An integral part of the initiative is community memory, stewardship, and education.     

Survey Results from Lagos Bay,Portugal

The Projecto de Carta Arqueológica Subaquática do Concelho de Lagos (PCASCL) aimed to locate, identify and protect existing underwater cultural heritage within the district's coastal area. This project was based on a five‐phase methodology which included archival research, assessment, survey and conservation. PCASCL resulted in the discovery of five shipwrecks and several artefacts which were added to the Portuguese archaeological record. This also led to the development of a secondary project which focused on one of the five shipwrecks as well as proposals for an underwater archaeological park in Lagos.     

2012年度青岛胶州湾及附近海域水下考古调查工作的收获和意义

2012年国家文物局水下文化遗产保护中心与青岛市文物局联合组织开展了青岛海域以胶州湾附近海域为重点的近代军事水下文化遗产调查工作。工作尝试以区域视角和专题形式展开。为了提高工作效率和针对性,调查工作分为两部分,一是前期的基础工作,从文献档案角度搜集沉船线索,梳理沉船相关信息,为水下考古调查提供基础;二是开展水下考古物理探测,获取相关的探测信息。本文即是对工作过程和取得成果的初步报道。     

A Late Antique Ceramic Assemblage at Burgaz,Datça Peninsula,South‐west Turkey,and the ‘Normality of the Mixed Cargo’ in the Ancient Mediterranean

By combining underwater survey with formal and compositional study of ceramics, recent work at Burgaz (south‐west Turkey) reveals a late 6th‐ or 7th‐century assemblage of wine and perhaps other agricultural products carried in LR1 and LR2‐related amphoras. Representing various south‐east Aegean and likely Cilician producers, the mixed cargo aboard this probable shipwreck offers insights into the complex dynamics of seaborne distribution at the end of Antiquity. This brief study also underscores the need for documentation in underwater survey of amphora forms and fabrics, particularly those from a period characterized by intensified and diversified production of supra‐regional ceramic types.     

Discovery of Ancient Harbour Structures in Calabria, Italy, and Implications for the Interpretation of Nearby Sites

During underwater survey around Crotone, Calabria, Italy, in 2005, structures from two harbour phases were located, possibly dating from the Archaic Greek and Roman periods. Both harbours are close to the Greek and Roman architectural remains on Capo Colonna, as well as to underwater deposits of large stone blocks and other, previously-excavated sites. With the discovery of these harbour structures, new hypotheses arise for understanding the building-material deposits and excavated sites. A critical component of these hypotheses is the assessment of local geological data, specifically ancient sea-level, in relation to the archaeological record.
© 2007 Author     

微纳米气泡清洗“南海一号”出水瓷器的安全性评价研究

随着我国水下考古事业的蓬勃发展,出水文物的科学保护已成为亟待解决的重要问题。表面各种附着物的清除是出水瓷器清洗的难点,现有的机械和化学清洗方法均存在着一定的局限性。在试清洗实验中,微纳米气泡展现了存在时间长、传质效率高、表面电荷形成的ζ电位高等不同于普通气泡的物理化学特性,对出水瓷器具有优越的清洗效果,因此有必要进一步对该清洗技术开展科学的安全性评价。选取打捞自"南海一号"的18件瓷片样品,进行了现状调查与病害检测,使用色差分析、光泽度分析、显微分析、显微测量等方法开展了安全性评价研究。实验结果表明,未发现微纳米气泡清洗技术会导致出水瓷器自身的颜色与光泽度产生明显变化,未发现其会导致瓷器釉面损伤,也未发现其会对瓷器已有裂缝产生影响。现有的评价结果表明,微纳米气泡清洗技术对于出水瓷器是基本安全的,为该技术在文物保护工作中的实际应用提供了重要依据。     

The HMS Swift shipwreck: The development of underwater heritage protection in Argentina

Abstract

The aim of this article is to evaluate, with a critical perspective, the legal framework for heritage protection in Argentina, viewing it within an international context and focusing on the HMS Swift shipwreck – sunk in Puerto Deseado (Santa Cruz province) in 1770 – as a case study. Moreover, some initial proposals for a management plan are presented as a first step in thinking about the challenges of preserving underwater sites in Argentinian Patagonia.

Through this analysis some interesting points are outlined, including the reasons that make the Swift shipwreck a leading case in Argentina. It is the first interdisciplinary underwater archaeology project in the country comprising archaeologists who are also divers; it is supported by national authorities; and it is the first project of its kind to give underwater archaeologists experience in dealing with archaeological research and preservation in an environment of multiple conflicting interests.

The international relevance of the Swift case relies on the nature of underwater cultural heritage as an international resource. The project's history is located in an international setting, derived from ihternational trade and communication, in which many ships and their contents have been lost far from their origin or destination. At a national level the Swift is a wreck with significant historical and cultural value. It is in a unique state of preservation and its location near to the shore makes it highly accessible. Locally,HMS Swift will be relevant when Puerto Deseado's community starts to recognise it as a significant part of their own heritage and local people become involved in the preservation of the wreck.     

Initial Archaeological Survey of the ex-USS <Emphasis Type="Italic">Independence</Emphasis> (CVL-22)

The Boeing Company, collaborating with NOAA to address innovative ways to make ocean observations, provided their autonomous underwater vehicle, Echo Ranger, to conduct the first deep-water archaeological survey of the scuttled aircraft carrier USS Independence in the waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in March 2015. While a preliminary effort, and not comprehensive, the survey confirmed that a sonar feature (previously not proven to be an archaeological feature) charted at the location was Independence, and provided details on the condition of the wreck. At the same time, new information from declassified government reports provided more detail on Independence’s use as a naval test craft for radiological decontamination as well as its use as a repository for radioactive materials at the time of its scuttling in 1951. The wreck is historically significant, but also of archaeological significance as an artifact of the early years of the atomic age and of the Cold War. This article summarizes Independence’s contexts, its nuclear history, and the results of the survey of the wreck site.     

Shipwreck Evidence from Kilwa,Tanzania

This article reports on the artefacts and environment of marine ballast and pottery sites identified through inter‐tidal and underwater survey around Kilwa, Tanzania, one of the most important medieval sultanates along the east African coast. An inter‐tidal site on the limestone fringing reef on the approaches to Kilwa Kisiwani Harbour and an underwater site within the harbour have been dated from associated pottery to c.8th–10th century and the 13th–16th century respectively. The presence of exotic basalt ballast is discussed as an indicator of wreck‐sites.     

炳灵寺石窟早期调查中的重要遗迹——以冯国瑞《炳灵寺石窟勘察记》为中心

炳灵寺石窟学术意义上的发现始于1951年冯国瑞的初步考察,次年又组织勘察团进行了第一次正式勘察。通过对照现存窟龛与早期考察成果(包括报告、老照片等),可以重新确认冯国瑞首次调查炳灵寺石窟的路线,即在崖面底部从南向北行至大佛南侧后,再到对岸以望远镜观察崖壁中部无法到达的窟龛。《炳灵寺石窟勘察记》也按照他考察路线的顺序依次记录了所观察到的窟龛遗迹,其中许多现已不存。例如,"武德二年"题记当时很可能在靠近大佛南侧的洞窟中;"永康四年"题记也并非冯国瑞错认,其位置可能不在第169窟中。1952年,考察团再次来到炳灵寺,攀登了除第169窟和第172窟外的所有洞窟,补充了测绘图、照片等宝贵资料。70年前冯国瑞参与的这两次考察将学术界的目光投向炳灵寺石窟,如今更需要对当时的考察记录进行充分讨论与解读。     

Underwater archaeological surveying using PhotoModeler, VirtualMapper: different applications for different problems

Techniques of underwater photogrammetry discussed include accuracy measurements and survey techniques.     

Using Sector‐Scan Sonar for the Survey and Management of Submerged Archaeological Sites

This article reports the results of using a sector‐scan sonar to record diverse submerged archaeological sites in shallow and deep water. The Kongsberg MS1000 sector‐scan sonar was developed for commercial applications, typically underwater inspections of bridges, dams, ports and harbours. The ability of the device to rapidly generate high‐quality, geometrically accurate scans of submerged features, coupled with its ease of use and deployment make it a potentially important, yet largely overlooked, tool for survey and management of underwater archaeological sites. As one of several technologies available, the paper examines its advantages and limitations, and considers, through case studies, under which conditions it is most effectively deployed.     

Application of veratraldehyde as a temporary consolidant for relics at underwater cultural heritage sites

Because it is often difficult to preserve fragile relics in situ at underwater cultural heritage sites, it is sometimes necessary for relics to be extracted and moved to a controlled environment on land for protection and study. This paper discusses the feasibility of using the volatile organic compound veratraldehyde as a temporary consolidant for underwater fragile relics extraction. The results show that different materials (iron, tile, sand, wood) under water can be bonded together and extracted when using veratraldehyde. The fact that veratraldehyde is difficult to spread on the surface of underwater objects is a problem that can be solved by adding a layer of strong hydrophobic polypropylene (PP) fibres onto the object, serving as a ‘package' for the relics. Under laboratory conditions, we used veratraldehyde and PP fibres to extract broken tiles from underwater sand onto an exhibition stand. The broken tiles, in both condition and distribution, were safely and completely retained as the veratraldehyde was slowly removed by the soaking process. This work fills a gap in knowledge about temporary consolidant materials in underwater archaeology, and provides a new method for extracting underwater fragile cultural relics without damaging them.     

Trajan's Bridge over the Danube

For the final conquest of Dacia, Apollodorus of Damascus, Trajan's principal engineer, built a monumental bridge over the Danube in AD 105. This paper aims at understanding the historical circumstances and environmental conditions during the building of Trajan's bridge, as well as its construction technology, by analysing the limited written and iconographic ancient sources. It also offers an overview of archaeological research on the structure to date, with special attention to the 2003 underwater archaeological survey, which established the state of preservation of the remaining piers, emphasizing the need for their long-term protection.
© 2009 The Author     

Multi-image Photogrammetry for Underwater Archaeological Site Recording: An Accessible,Diver-Based Approach

This article presents a discussion of recent advances in underwater photogrammetric survey, illustrated by case studies in Scotland and Denmark between 2011 and 2013. Results from field trials are discussed with the aim of illustrating practical low-cost solutions for recording underwater archaeological sites in 3D using photogrammetry and using this data to offer enhanced recording, interpretation and analysis. We argue that the availability of integrated multi-image photogrammetry software, highly light-sensitive digital sensors and wide-aperture compact cameras, now allow for simple work flows with minimal equipment and excellent natural colour images even at depths of up to 30 m. This has changed the possibilities for underwater photogrammetric recording, which can now be done on a small scale, through the use of a single camera and automated work flow. The intention of this paper is to demonstrate the quality and versatility of the ‘one camera/ambient light/integrated software’ technique through the case studies presented and the results derived from this process. We also demonstrate how the 3D data generated can be subjected to surface analysis techniques to enhance detail and to generate data-driven fly-throughs and reconstructions, opening the door to new avenues of engagement with both specialists and the wider public.     

Project SAMPHIRE: Crowd Sourcing Maritime Archaeology data off Scotland's West Coast

Perhaps the greatest barrier to effective management of underwater cultural heritage is the lack of data on the nature and location of offshore archaeological resources. This is a problem shared with terrestrial archaeology, but is particularly acute due to the limitations of survey techniques in the underwater environment. In Scotland <15% of known ship losses from the last 200 years have been located and the record is far less comprehensive for earlier periods, verging on a near total data gap. Most known archaeological sites in Scottish waters have been discovered through large-scale sonar survey of relatively low resolution and a considerable bias has been introduced in the archaeological record; this has favored the discovery and documentation of larger and more recent, often upstanding, metal shipwrecks. This article presents the methods and results from a three-year project designed to reduce this bias by demonstrating large-scale prospecting for maritime archaeology through a community-based crowd-sourcing approach. Project SAMPHIRE (the Scottish Atlantic Maritime Past: Heritage, Investigation, Research and Education Project) was geographically focused on the west coast of the Scottish mainland and was undertaken between 2013 and 2015, resulting in a large number of new archaeological discoveries, including shipwrecks, aircraft, and other material of a much more varied nature than what is typically found through large-scale hydrographic surveys.     

关于水下考古学的几个问题

在世界范围内,科学的水下考古学的出现是二战以后的事情;在中国,则迟至上世纪八十年代才逐渐引入。目前我国的水下考古事业正处在从单纯的水下考古向全方位的水下文化遗产保护转变的关键时期,本文重点讨论了水下考古学的定义、水下考古学理论建设、水下文化遗产保护管理等几个水下考古学的基本问题,并提出若干初步看法。     

Demonstration Survey of Prehistoric Reef‐Net Sites with Sidescan Sonar,near Becher Bay,British Columbia,Canada

Sidescan sonar was deployed in challenging shallow‐water conditions to demonstrate the potential for recording anchor‐stones left on the sea‐bed from prehistoric fishing operations. In less than three hours the survey successfully mapped a reef‐net site originally recorded in 1985 by diving archaeologists over many hours. In addition, 8 km of coastline were surveyed, resulting in the discovery and recording of one new underwater reef‐net site. Our understanding of evolving subsistence practices of the Straits Salish, for whom reef‐net fishing was a critical activity, may be enhanced by this survey method which provides cost‐effective access to data not otherwise being recorded. © 2011 The Authors