Sub-Aqua Heritage

As an island, Britain has a tradition of seafaring that goes back centuries. Of course, shipbuilding has not always been foolproof, and rafts of vessels have never reached their destinations due to inclement conditions or being sunk in ferocious naval battles. In fact, the murky waters around Britain’s coast are home to the highest concentration of shipwrecks in the world – an estimated quarter of a million – of which records exist for some 40,000.

Shipwrecks are of vital importance to our national heritage as they provide a unique window into the past, capturing and preserving a single moment in history. While a number of wrecks receive special government protection, and have been reclaimed and restored on dry land due to their historical, archaeological or artistic value, most shipwrecks lie slowly disintegrating on the seabed. Sadly, many wrecks are beginning to break up, and we may lose the opportunity of recording them before they finally collapse. After the point of collapse it might be much more difficult to record these sites. This is why maritime archaeology is as important as ever.

Archaeological techniques used for dealing with shipwrecks are not dissimilar to those used on land: careful recording and surveying of exposed remains, and excavation. Surveying is very important because how and where the remains lie is vital information. Using tape measures and grids, a record can be built up without disturbing the wreck. If a site is then excavated, the survey retains the evidence of what the wreck originally looked like.

What makes marine archaeology so problematic is that removing the silt that has protected a wreck for centuries exposes it to the destructive forces of the sea and microorganisms. Sometimes excavation is the only way to find out essential information. This is carried out using an airlift, which sucks up the silt like a vacuum, lifting any exposed and vulnerable artefacts to the surface for conservation. The case for excavation always needs to be weighed against the benefits of leaving a wreck preserved in silt on the seabed.

As Britain has fought to protect or expand its territories, innumerable lives have inevitably been lost at sea. Some shipwreck sites are recognised war graves and access is forbidden without express permission from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Contents of shipwreck sites also come under protection. Divers are greatly discouraged from removing any items, as this can damage the vessel, and its archaeological value.

 Today, there is a law that states that any artefact brought to dry land for preservation must be reported to the Receiver of Wrecks (based within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency headquarters in Southampton). For the purpose of the Merchant Shipping Act, a ‘historic wreck’ is defined as an item over 100 years old. The Maritime Coastguard Agency is committed to try, wherever practical, to offer items of historic wreck to institutions, such as museums, where they can be seen by the public.