Stern of the British merchant vessel Duchess of Albany, lost in Tierra del Fuego in1893 (Photo: PROAS)

Shipwreck archaeology in Tierra del Fuego
Director: Dr. Dolores Elkin

This project was developed in the frame of the Atlantic Coast Archaeological Project conducted by the Museo del Fin del Mundo of the city of Ushuaia, under the general direction of archaeologist Martín Vázquez. The goal of the project was to carry out a baseline study of shipwrecks located on the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego, between the Río Grande in the Northwest and Cape San Diego in the Southeast, a portion of the island known as Península Mitre. The historical records indicate the loss of numerous vessels during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, although there could be earlier shipwrecks as well.

Tierra del Fuego Province.

Tierra del Fuego Province.

The field work was conducted between 2010 and 2014. Various sites and many isolated finds were recorded. This project provided updated information about the shipwreck locations, diversity and conservation state needed for future management plans and specific research projects.

Selected publications on this project:
VÁZQUEZ, M., M. ÁLVAREZ, R. BARBERENA, K. BORRAZZO, L. BORRERO, D. ELKIN, M. GROSSO, C. MURRAY CRISTIAN, J. ORÍA, M. SALEMME Y F. SANTIAGO. 2010. Programa Arqueológico Costa Atlántica: hacia la preservación del patrimonio arqueológico costero en Tierra del Fuego. R. Bárcena y H. Chiavazza, editores. Arqueología Argentina en el Bicentenario de la Revolución de Mayo. VII Congreso Nacional de Arqueología Argentina. Tomo II: 558-562. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza. ISBN: 978-987-9126-88-2

VÁZQUEZ, M., L.A. BORRERO, D. ELKIN, M. GROSSO, C. MURRAY, J. ORÍA, M. SALEMME y F. SANTIAGO. En prensa. Nuevos resultados sobre la localización de sitios en la costa atlántica fueguina: Programa Arqueológico Costa Atlántica (PACA). VII Jornadas de Arqueología de Patagonia. (Malargüe, 3-7 octubre)


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