WWII merchant shipping movements now online; Marine archaeologists call for radical policy change; MoRPHE; Limantepe; Columbus’s crew; Sutton Hoo garden party; Volunteer opportunities?

 

 

 

WWII merchant shipping movements now online

 

TNA has made WWII merchant shipping movement cards available online.

 

Marine archaeologists call for radical policy change

 

UNESCO, the Joint Nautical Archaeology Policy Committee, the Archaeology Forum and the Institute for Archaeologists have called for an end to commercial salvage on historic wrecks. Following claims by Odyssey Marine Exploration that they are excavating the HMS Victory these organisations are asking the government to sign the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.

(Current Archaeology, Issue 229, p4)

 

MoRPHE

 

English Heritage’s Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE) provides a framework/guidance for the management of historic environment research and ‘research and development’ (R&D) projects. The MoRPHE training programme for 2009 has now been finalised. Two hour distance learning Familiarisation and six face to face one day Project Managers courses (Birmingham, London, Swindon, Salisbury, Bristol and York) are being run.

 

Further details can be obtained from morphe@english-heritage.org.uk.

 

Limantepe

 

Archaeologists from the University of Ankara are excavating a submerged prehistoric harbour at Urla in western Turkey.

 

Columbus’s crew

 

The teeth from skeletons excavated in the Dominican Republic and which are believed may be of members of Columbus’ second expedition to the New World, have been subject to analysis by the University of Wisconsin Madison.

 

Sutton Hoo garden party

 

A 1930’s style garden party will be held at Sutton Hoo on Bank Holiday Sunday 24 May to mark the 70^th anniversary of the discovery of the boat burial.

 

Volunteer opportunities?

 

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Maritime Archaeology Society are organising the Firebrand Shipwreck Recording Project on 1-8 August and The Lyonesse Project, also in the Isles of Scilly, from 28 August to 12 September 2009. Contact CISMAS for details.

 

 

IfA Conference 2009 – provisional MAG session outline; MAG election; Question in Parliament on the loss of archaeological jobs; MAD about Swash; NMR Shipwreck talk; IfA Recession planning

IfA Conference 2009 – provisional MAG session outline

 

REGULATORY CHANGE IN THE MARINE AREA: IMPACTS ON OUR UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE AND MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY

 

09:30-12:45,  8 April 2009

 

Organiser: Mark Dunkley, IfA Maritime Affairs Group

Sponsors: English Heritage

 

Regulatory change and Scotland’s marine environment

Philip Robertson, Historic Scotland

 

Delivery of the Marine and Coastal Access Bill

Simon Crabbe, Defra

 

View from the West: Devolution and the Marine and Coastal Access Bill

Deanna Groom, RCAHMW

 

Reform of Heritage Protection in England

Mark Dunkley, English Heritage

 

Proposed responsibilities for the Receiver of Wreck

Alison Kentuck, Maritime & Coastguard Agency

 

Regulation beyond the 12 mile territorial sea

Sarah Dromgoole, University of Nottingham

 

 

MAG election

A committee election will be held at the MAG AGM at the IfA Conference. One committee post is up for grabs. Jesse Ransley, the retiring committee member, will be seeking re-election. If you wish to stand against her for the post, then please let the acting secretary Graham Scott know by the end of March.

 

The MAG Committee wish to apologise to the membership for the late notice given of this election, caused by an administrative oversight. If you wish to object to the election taking place at the AGM on the grounds of late notice then please contact Graham Scott as soon as possible.

 

Question in Parliament on the loss of archaeological jobs

The Earl of Glasgow has asked the UK Government about what steps it is taking to secure the future of professional archaeology in Britain and to mitigate the effect of the current contraction in the construction industry. To read the reply go to the parliamentary web site.

 

MAD about Swash

Bournemouth University is holding a Maritime Archaeological Day (MAD) on the Swash Channel Wreck site on 2^nd May 2009 from 10am. This free day long event is open to the public and will involve a program of talks on the University premises and the opportunity to view some of the artefacts recovered from the site and to talk directly with archaeologists and students involved in the project. Contact Paola Palma for further information.

 

NMR Shipwreck talk

EH’s Serena Cant will deliver a talk on shipwrecks at an access event for deaf and hard of hearing visitors at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich on 29 March. Her talk will be preceeded by a talk on Captain Cook and the event starts at 14:00. Everyone is welcome.

 

IfA Recession planning

The IfA have put in place a recession plan.

New Forest Maritime Project Officer; Khubilai Khan’s Lost Fleet; La Salle; Irish Shipwreck Inventory

 

 

New Forest Maritime Project Officer

The New Forest National Park Authority has advertised for a Project Officer to lead the New Forest Maritime Archaeology Project.

 

Khubilai Khan’s Lost Fleet

James Delgado’s new book on the archaeological and historical investigation of this fleet is now available from the University of California Press.

 

La Salle

The conservation of the French explorer La Salle’s ship, the 17th century La Belle, is under threat due to lack of funds.

 

Irish Shipwreck Inventory

The Shipwreck Inventory of Ireland – Louth, Meath, Dublin and Wicklow has been published by Ireland’s National Monuments Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.