Maritime Heritage Conference, New English Heritage networking site

Forthcoming Conference
Profiting from our Past: The Modern Value of Maritime Heritage is to be held on March 5 and 6, 2008, at the University of Portsmouth. The conference will highlight the value of maritime cultural heritage in the 21st century and will look to determine how maritime heritage can be integrated fully with other sectors to ensure its benefits and also its future protection.

To secure a place complete the booking form.

New Networking Site: Our Place
English Heritage has launched Our Place, a networking website for outreach professionals who work in the arts and heritage sector.

Thank You
The MAG blog will shortly be away for Christmas, so the next MAG post will probably be in the New Year. Do feel free to send things in for me to get round to when I return. Many thanks to the MAG members and others who have sent in material for the MAG updates/blog in the past year. I look forward to receiving more in 2008!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

New Maritime Archaeology Vacancy: South Australia; Senior Maritime Heritage Officer

Job Announcement for Senior/Principal Maritime Heritage Officer

The Southern Australian Department for Environment and Heritage is currently advertising for a Senior/Principal Maritime Heritage Officer more details are available here. Applications close at 5:00pm Friday 18th January 2008.

Heritage Protection White Paper Responses, Royal Geographical Society Research Grants, “Early Man and the Ocean” Conference, Rebreather Safety, Other News

Government response to the Heritage Protection White Paper Consultation
The consultation on the White Paper Heritage Protection for the 21st Century, which closed on the 1st June received approximately 340 responses (50 responses were received by the Welsh Assembly regarding proposals there). A summary of answers to the questions raised and other issues arising from the document have been published and can be downloaded from DCMS.

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Research Grants

DEADLINE EXTENDED to 25 January 2008

Ralph Brown Expedition Award- A single annual grant of £15,000 is to be awarded to the leader of a research expedition working in a marine environment. This includes the study of inland or coastal wetlands, rivers or shallow (less than 200m) marine environments. The project should be of value to the host country and where possible to the local community. The team should include nationals of the host country and the project should involve at least 4-6 weeks in the field. Eligibility: Researchers. Applicants must be fellows or members of the RGS-IBG. The grant is open to applicants from any nation; Deadline: 25 January 2008

More complete details are available here.

Thesiger-Oman International Fellowships – Two awards, each of £8,000 for geographical research in the Middle East or other arid regions of the world. One grant is awarded for research on the physical aspects of the desert environment and the second for the human dimension of arid and semi arid environments.

Eligibility: Researchers with at least 3 years experience at postgraduate level or above. Applicants must be affiliated to a higher education institution. This can be anywhere in the world. Deadline: 25 January 2007
More complete details can be seen here.
For further information on the grants programme, look here or email grants@rgs.org

Forthcoming Film Festival and Conference

The Kon-Tiki Museum, the Norwegian Maritime Museum and the Vikingship Museum in Oslo Norway are to hold “Early Man and the Ocean”, a film festival and scientific conference the first week in April 2008. The main discussion will focus on maritime experimental archaeology. A call for papers will be distributed soon!

Rebreather Safety
MAG was recently notified of a useful video of a serious rebreather incident available to view at the HSE website. The video contains good information on general dive safety relevant to all types of diving.

Other News
Melissa Nelson of the Guardian recently covered archaeological investigations of a vessel off Florida believed to be one of Don Tristan de Luna’s vessels. You can read the article here.

China plans to open an underwater museum to exhibit an ancient shipwreck by next year

A remarkably well preserved vessel was recently discovered in the Baltic, a short film is available to view online.

Wessex Archaeology has recently announced a new public outreach project to promote the Maritime Heritage of South West England.