The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 – 2010 Edited by T. Kurt Knoerl The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 – 2010 Edited by T. Kurt Knoerl Copyright © 2010 The Museum of Underwater Archaeology http://www.themua.org Cover image of the Walter B. Allen courtesy Tamara Thomsen and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Acknowledgements The Museum of Underwater Archaeology gratefully acknowledges the authors contained in this publication for their contributions to both this document and the fields of underwater archaeology and historical research. In addition we’d like to thank the University of Rhode Island History Department, Dr. Rod Mather, Dr. John Jensen, and Ms. Michelle Damian for their support of our mission to encourage public outreach. The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 Contents Introduction – T. Kurt Knoerl ….………….…………………………….1 So, Who Cares About Underwater Cultural Heritage? – Dr. John Broadwater ...5 ‘Where there’s Muck there’s Brass’: Archaeology and the Real World? - Dr. Joe Flatman .........................................................................8 Squeaky Wheels – David Ball .........................................................13 50 Years Later – Dr. Filipe Castro ....................................................17 The Seventh “P” – Dr. Susan Langley ...............................................21 Treasure Hunters, So Few So Loud – United States Perspective – Dr. Anne Giesecke .................................................................................26 The Institute of Nautical Archaeology – Dr. James P. Delgado ...................29 Integrating Underwater and Terrestrial Archaeology – Matthew A. Russell .....33 What Does it Mean to “Go Digital”? – Dr. T. Mills Kelly ............................39 The Historic Environment: Shared Heritage and Joint Responsibilities? – Ian Oxley ...............................................................................43 Deepwater Archaeology in Oil and Gas - Kimberly L. Faulk …..…….….... 48 Conclusion – Michelle Damian ..………….…………………………. 53 The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 Introduction I founded the online Museum of Underwater Archaeology in 2004 as a way to encourage underwater archaeologists to share their research with the general public via the Internet. This seemed the best way to reach the widest possible audience and to date the site receives visits from over ninety countries from around the world. It took some cajoling on my part to get the first few participants to take a chance and post with us but within a relatively short time period our staff grew and researchers began coming to us asking for assistance with their digital public outreach efforts. As time went by, however, we began wondering how we might involve underwater archaeologists who were not posting their research on our site either because they had no current projects underway or their own websites provided them with an online outlet to the world. We wanted to reach out to these individuals and provide them with a venue they could use to voice their opinions on topics of their choosing related to the field of underwater archaeology. From this idea sprang forth the Guest Blogger (GB) feature. We wanted to create relationships between the top minds in the field and our audience and with the MUA. We’ve been thrilled at the response both from our guest bloggers and the general public as we have introduced this feature. Throughout 2009 and 2010 we sought to encourage conversations between our guests and their colleagues, students, and the general public. While the comments sections might not always show it, we believe the posts did spark discussion. That is what happens when you let folks write about whatever is on their mind. Outside of minor typos we did not edit the posts or try to persuade the authors to be either controversial or politically correct. That freedom is one of the things that make this collection of posts so valuable. Readers get to see not only what the authors think about certain issues but also what the authors 1 The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 decided to write about when given the opportunity to address a world wide audience. Perhaps it is no great surprise that many of the posts deal with the future and where the field of underwater archaeology is headed. It is a subject that occupies most people’s minds including those of us that spend so much time thinking, ironically enough, about the past. Issues like the economy, the environment, digital media, future responsibilities, and yes, even the age old debate over treasure salvage vs. preservation are all covered in this collection. That inclusiveness is what makes it so valuable. Why produce a PDF version of what can already be found online? Great question! I’m glad I asked. As an underwater archaeologist myself I share with my colleagues the desire to learn from the past. The MUA has amassed over 300 pages of content written by over 70 underwater archaeologists. As the website grew it began to bother me that some of the older posts might not receive as much attention because links to them just couldn’t possibly all fit on the website’s front page. We looked for ways to bring them back into the light, and we have succeeded through incorporating portions of posts into our learning paths that school teachers can use to show excellent examples of how underwater archaeologists conduct their research. We can and will do this with the GB posts as well but by presenting all of the GB posts together in one document we gain a perspective that is lacking when looking through the website one post at a time. This anthology provides a bird’s eye view of some of the current issues of the last two years that were of concern to our authors. In addition by providing a downloadable PDF collection we hope to make it easier for teachers to incorporate the posts into their classrooms, thereby avoiding the necessity of having all of their students go online to get them. Returning for a moment to 2004 I recall spending time explaining the MUA concept to someone I hoped would contribute to the site. The archaeologist listened patiently but as I went on I began to fear I was beginning to ramble 2 The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 based on the look on my friend’s face. I wrapped up my “pitch” upon which she asked, “Yeah ok Kurt, that sounds good but how much are you charging for this?” I was shocked. “Charge? Nothing” I responded. It never occurred to me to charge for the posts on the MUA. Of course the realities of operating a website have long since set in but through grants and the generous, donations of server space, and bandwidth from institutions like the University of Rhode Island and grants of service from companies like Dreamhost and Google we have never charged underwater archaeologists for posting on the MUA. I believe now as I did then that our collective past belongs to everyone and in the sharing of scholarly research with the public that in most cases funds research through their tax dollars. Yes, these challenging economic times require everyone to tighten their belts but I believe that it is an obligation on our part as archaeologists to share our research freely with as many people as we can without jeopardizing the resource. We must find ways to make this information freely available even when there are ways to profit from it. I believe that is one of the things that separate us from those who wish to own the past. So, we invite you to download this PDF and share it with your class, your officemates, and your friends and don’t forget to share your knowledge as well. T. Kurt Knoerl Director The Museum of Underwater Archaeology 3 The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 So, Who Cares About Underwater Cultural Heritage? By Dr. John Broadwater Posted May 19, 2009 Back in the 1970s, when I first became interested in protecting shipwrecks, the picture was pretty bleak. In the United States, there was no national legislation to protect shipwrecks or other submerged archaeological sites. Among the very few states with protective legislation, most imposed few—if any—archaeological requirements, and the bulk of the recovered cultural material was given to the salvors. Frequently, salvors turned to the Admiralty courts where they were usually designated “salvor in possession,” often being given complete control of the site and its contents. Back in the day, few people were even aware of “underwater archaeology,” but almost everyone knew about treasure hunting. The term conjured up images of Spanish gold and silver spilling out of rotting hulks on the seabed, being “rescued” from the perils of the sea by brave, adventurous explorers who risked their lives in hopes of “finding the mother lode.” Even when legitimate underwater archaeology projects came to the public’s attention, most people assumed that archaeology and treasure hunting was the same thing. Other factors, too, were destroying important sites, including souvenir collecting, dredging, construction projects, and erosion. Now, more than 30 years later, do you think the situation has improved? Recently I clicked to the Discovery Channel, hoping for a program on underwater archaeology, but instead found “Treasure Quest,” an entire series of new programs about brave, adventurous explorers seeking their fortune among the deepwater shipwrecks that had been, until very recently, protected by their inaccessibility from discovery and exploitation. 4 The MUA Guest Blogger Anthology 2009 - 2010 So… who really cares about underwater cultural heritage, and what are they doing to protect these unique resources for future generations? Well, from my point of view: (a) quite a few people care, and (b) quite a lot has been done to protect and preserve our collective maritime heritage and to disseminate information about that heritage to a global audience. Here are several examples that give me encouragement for the future: First of all, national and regional protective legislation is now more prevalent and more restrictive.