]]> Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]>
The soul of the past is in deep water
Phillipe Diole.
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Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]>
The archaeological evidence of whaling can be seen through the wrecks of whaling ships, the remains of whaling stations, and shipwreck survivors' camps that are found in even the most distant corners of the Pacific. The information contained in such sites has proven potential to inform researchers from a range of disciplines including archaeology, historical ecology, biology, and conservation science. Due to the remote locations of many of these sites and the limited resources available for accessing and studying them, multidisciplinary approaches to their investigation offer researchers and heritage managers cost effective options for gleaning valuable data.
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Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]> ]]> Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]>
When the Papua Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries operated regular monitoring for marine ecosystems in Biak waters the team recorded severe problems with marine life directly associated to the waters surrounding the Catalina Wreck Site. National and Local government have been working together since 2010 to manage the underwater heritage and the marine environment in an integrated way. It is aimed that integrated management of the site will preserve the historical value of the WWII remains and rehabilitate the surrounding marine environment. Rehabilitation involves the establishment of coral gardens surrounding the wreckage of the aircraft.

My intention in this paper is to present the plans of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries to recover the coral reef to a healthy condition, to protect the underwater cultural heritage (UCH) and to manage the area for reasonable use.
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]]> Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]>
a) Assistance Policy – In 1876 Japan ordered a cessation on Chinese steamships from entering Japan to purchase coal. In response the Chinese government enacted the September 1876 Decree for Coal Aggregate Industry in Kai Ping in support of the first national coal mining industry. This caused great changes in the littoral landscape with the building of mining infrastructure.

b) Preferential treatment – The 1872 Royal Act declared the development of the first Chinese steamship company. The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company gained monopoly of the inland-waterway systems (Yangtze River – Shanghai to Hankou to Chong Qing). In support of its development the policy entailed the following:

i. Raised high-prices on freights with the implementation of a tax to twice their value;
ii. Private company taxes were increased but taxes reduced on the steamship company.
iii. prohibition on other competitive steamship companies until 1896.

These historical records can help to interpret maritime archaeology by providing reasons for ship-type shifts in cargo assemblages. When the government stepped in with these raised freights and taxes then the private companies operating junks were ousted by the national steamship company. This could explain why a shipwreck would encase high-valued merchandise along the canal system. The cargo could be misinterpreted to represent a pirate ship. However, knowledge of the relevant policy clarifies the fact that working steamships would have been the preferred vessel to carry cargoes of high-value.
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Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]> Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]> Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]>
Much less well known than Admiralty Pattern Anchors and Buoys, APMC is likely to persist on seafloors at British anchorages around the globe due to it’s high quality iron composition and hefty design - each link measures around 1 metre in length and bar width is typically 60 – 100 millimetres (mm). Also, because it sits on the sea floor, often beneath a layer of silt, APMC is likely to be well preserved by these anoxic conditions at many locations.

In the case of the Sydney Cove Chain there is good evidence to support the theory that at least some elements travelled with the second Governor to the Colony of New South Wales in 1795 – just seven years after first settlement. There is also evidence that these same chains were used by Matthew Flinders to moor the ruined H.M.S. Investigator, after completion of the first circumnavigation of Australia in 1803.

More startling than this is the possibility that such chains were used in the boom defence of Sydney Harbour, against such potential foes as the French, Russians, Spanish and Americans. In fact, between Napoleonic wars the French scientific expedition led by François Baudin camped with permission yet unease on Bennelong Point – the site of the current Sydney Opera House. What other archaeological treasures remain buried in this area?

In 1987 the contract archaeologist monitoring the building site determined that it was too disturbed to yield significant archaeological evidence (Higginbotham 1987b:8; NSWHO / DUAP 1996:8-9). Master’s research in 2003 questioned this conclusion, and presented a ‘statement of significance’ containing more positive findings (Bullock 2003).]]>
Diversity in approaches to maritime archaeology, underwater cultural heritage and related areas]]>
This situation has lead researchers to believe that marine crafts like the “Caballito de Totora” (“reed horse”) were just simpler tools without any further development. However, one particular type of watercraft represented in the Moche iconography apparently contradicts this idea, the “reed boat”. Moche fine line paintings portray this particular type of vessel, which differs from the traditional “reed horse” vessel, and seems to be capable of holding considerable cargo and occupants. Although the use of totora constitutes the oldest tradition for constructing rafts and boats along the coast and in the Titicaca region, unfortunately, as mentioned above, there is no evidence of such rafts or boats in the archaeological record apart from the iconographic depictions.

In spite of this, we suggest that “reed boats” represented a real boat just as other real Moche characters were represented in their iconography, such as the “Lord of Sipan” or “The Priestesses of San Jose de Moro”. Moreover the reed boats were a technological innovation, which filled particular needs to perform rituals in times of ecological distress and to procure certain sumptuary items.
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