In a previous article published on 08 December 2010, nautical archaeologist Shelley Wachsmann told WaterWideWeb, “Shipwrecks are important because in any given society, a ship is the most developed or technologically advanced piece of equipment that the society has.”

In the case of China’s Nan Hai No. 1, information about ship building will unveil details about the society’s capacity to construct intricate naval vessels.  Clues about the way China conducted marine trade with the Middle East and the rest of the world over 800 years ago could perhaps write a new chapter in the country’s history.

Zhang Wei, director of the Underwater Archaeology Center of China, discovered the Nan Hai No. 1 site. in 1987. At the time, the field of nautical archaeology was still a relatively new discipline in China. A state funded organization to protect and preserve findings from submerged sites in Chinese waters was not in place in China.

Nevertheless, Wei assembled a team of nautical archaeologists and experts to excavate the Nan Hai No. 1 ship in 1988. Unfortunately, funding for research was not available for Wei to continue his excavation. The project was temporarily put on hold until additional financial resources could be obtained.

In 2001, Wei was granted money from Hong Kong’s Underwater Archaeology Association to support his efforts. Now, the Nan Hai No. 1 exhibit is displayed as an aquarium in Guangdong Province. The shipwreck is housed in a water palace that is filled with water of the same quality, temperature, and environment as the site where it was first discovered.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Nan Hai No. 1 Museum is “to become certainly one of the most important museums of underwater cultural heritage worldwide.”

Rescuing this shipwreck by Wei’s archaeology team was also a fascinating venture and contribution to nautical archaeology projects. A team of experts first covered the shipwreck with a bottomless steel container.

The end pieces of the steel encasement were sharpened and driven into the seabed using weights that were placed on the steel covering. Then, team members dug around the encasement and placed steel sheets underneath the vessel. Finally, the wreck was raised to the surface.

This approach was almost a way of saying that the site was the exclusive property of the China’s government. Treasure hunters and other potential intruders were not welcome at the site of the shipwreck.

Sadly, China has lost similar opportunities to examine their history by the sea because of treasure hunters like Mike Hatcher and Luc Heymans. Hatcher and Heymans robbed China of its underwater cultural heritage via nefarious and barely legal means, auctioning precious artifacts of sunken Chinese cargo for personal gain.

Furthermore, international law to protect submerged treasures off a country’s shores did not stipulate that said nations had direct rights to these finds.

The Nan Hai No. 1 Museum is significant for of its role in preserving cultural posterity and contributing to economic development in China. Revenue generated from ticket sales and tourists’ visits to Hailing Island in Guangdong Province will certainly have a positive financial impact on the country. Increased profits from museum visits will potentially support an effort to allocate more government funding for research and excavation of other sunken Chinese heritage.

On 22 October 2010, a report published by China.org indicated that the first freshwater nautical excavation in China will take place in the Poyang Lake. This endeavor is evidence that the interest and urgency in extending China’s nautical archaeology discipline are at hand.

Occurrences like these are just a couple of the myriad examples of sea exploitation on a sovereign nation’s submerged cultural property. Too often, developing and emerging countries are at risk for such tragedies due to a lack of expertise, resources or policing and legal protection.

The U.N. Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, together with the Underwater Cultural Heritage Division of UNESCO works to prevent this and other exploitation, from endangering underwater heritage. But China’s nautical archaeology field is emerging and the country is firmly grasping this initiative with steel encasements and a tight fist.

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is working in Tanzania through one of its University Twinning Networks (UNITWIN) to enhance socio-economic development in the field of marine resources.

The UNITWIN program is designed to cultivate scientific inquiry and advance knowledge in academic disciplines. In 2009, the UNITWIN Cooperation Program in Marine Biology and Sustainable Development for East Africa was established at the University of Dar Es-Salaam in the Republic of Tanzania, in collaboration with the Bangor University of Wales, United Kingdom.

Dr. Ntahondi Nyandui, Associate Director of IMS told WaterWideWeb, “Tanzania needs to promote the sustainable use of these resources.” Over the past two years, the IMS has worked in Tanzania to promote a sustainable agenda for marine resources. Please read the complete interview with Nyandui below.

EAB: What are some of the most immediate threats to marine biology and sustainable development in East Africa?

NN: Marine and coastal ecosystems are degrading due to unsustainable use, pollution, and effects of global climate change. Degradation of these marine and coastal ecosystems risks loss in livelihoods and a rise in poverty. Unsustainable exploitation of marine and coastal resources is threatening biodiversity. Poverty in the region hinders sustainable use of marine and coastal resources.

EAB: How does UNESCO and most specifically the UNITWIN Cooperation Program in Marine Biology and Sustainable Development  aim to mitigate adverse effects from those threats?

NN: We’re focusing on capacity building for Tanzanians. Obtaining quality scientific information and developing skills would contribute to better management of coastal resources and the marine environment.

EAB: Please detail the capacity building practices that you hope to implement in Tanzania.

NN: Training marine scientists at the postgraduate level with required skills. IMS will be assisted in improving the delivery of existing MSc courses, the development of a new MSc in marine environmental science and climate change, the development of decision support tools for management of marine and coastal resources and environment, and the development of products and outreach services for public use.

EAB: Can you describe how the program will achieve its objective specifically in reference to cultural and societal development of communities sharing the coast?

NN: We already have other programs and projects that deal with outreach and community services. For the current project, research for some of the post-graduate students will touch on issues of societal development.

EAB: What marine resources are unique to this area and why is preserving them a top agenda item for UNESCO?

NN: Coral reefs, sea grass beds, and mangroves are high in biodiversity and productivity in this area. These resources attract fisheries which is vitally important to coastal livelihood in Tanzania. Generating revenue for the coastal communities of Tanzania is largely contingent upon the condition of marine coastal resources.

EAB: Have you established the “Regional Pole of Excellence in Marine Sciences and Technology” yet? If so, please describe it here.

NN: The goal is to build the IMS into a center of excellence in marine sciences in East Africa. The IMS is expected to become unique in the region. Already, its capacity to provide postgraduate training in marine sciences and to undertake quality research has established the IMS as a viable center of study.

EAB: What Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is this project helping to achieve?

NN: The project works on several MDGs including environmental sustainability, alleviating poverty and hunger, promoting gender equality in higher education, and global partnerships in information sharing, training for development.

EAB: Thank you for your time interviewing with WaterWideWeb.org.

NN: You’re welcome.

 Advancing the academic study of marine coastal environments in Tanzania will supports members of the local community to effectively engage policy makers in decisions about marine conservation. The erosion of marine environments has immediate ramifications for residents of the area. Lobbying for national policy on marine conservation is possible if policy makers are presented with timely and quantifiable data about marine coastal environments.

Establishing a center of information that can assess marine sustainability in Tanzania is the first step to restoring compromised marine environments along the coast of East Africa. Statistics and analytic data will provide the information necessary for implementing effective conservation strategies in the region.

The photo above is a UN Photo taken by Milton Grant.

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Excavations at the site of Port Royal ended in 1990. Questions about this hub of the 17th century British Empire linger as remains of the notorious city stay locked beneath of the ocean’s surface. Why is Port Royal an area of interest to the world of nautical archeologists? Why aren’t they digging for cultural treasure buried in the “wickedest city of the west”?

The streets of Port Royal, Jamaica were luxurious in the late 17th century. Jamaica was a Spanish colony until the British claimed the island in 1655. Port Royal was a city of cultural and commercial exchange. The city was a commercial center of trade in African slaves, sugar, and other goods.

Port Royal was also a hot spot for cut throat pirates. In fact, contracts for sanctioned privateering were issued by the British king to loot Spanish ships that were in close proximity to the Port. Even Captain Henry Morgan himself roamed the sketchy streets of Port Royal, leaving a legacy of pirate folklore and a unique element of notoriety that was uncommon in other colonies of the New World.

The economy was flooded by the wages of a common artisan’s honest day’s pay, and revenue from under the table deals of pirates, gamblers, and tavern keepers. Women of ill repute frequented the taverns, and sailors who made a semi-honest living at sea lavishly spent their earnings on these ladies of the evening.

The Puritan morality that shaped colonies in New England was not mirrored in Port Royal. Debauchery was not a dirty word to the citizens of Port Royal. Nonetheless, the heyday of mischief and ill-gotten gain came to a cataclysmic halt on the morning of June 7, 1692 when an earthquake and tidal wave submerged the infamous city.

The disaster took 2,000 lives on impact, and 3,000 more lives were lost due to injuries and disease following the earthquake. Moreover, the catastrophic event drove history down to the depths of the sea, leaving history buffs ever so curious about the city that changed the Caribbean and the New World during its 37 years of existence.

From 1981 through 1990, the Nautical Archaeology Program of Texas A & M ,in conjunction with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust,  excavated the site of Port Royal. Eight buildings were excavated. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that only 13 percent of the city was excavated, leaving 87 percent of the historical time capsule untouched.

According to UNESCO, “the Caribbean is under-represented on the World Heritage List. Jamaica currently has only one site on its tentative list and no sites with World Heritage Status.” Deeming Port Royal a World Heritage Site requires additional excavation efforts, which is much easier said than done.

Issues such as tourism development, unregulated fishing practices, and lack of infrastructure exacerbate efforts to excavate Port Royal. A multifaceted response from the local community, government officials, developers, and nautical archaeologists is necessary to continue excavation at the site of Port Royal.

History and timeless artifacts of the world’s wickedest city are off limits to experts eager to  thread together the tumultuous times of Port Royal. The world will just have to wonder about life in this city of chaos and hedonism. Not to mention, the Western Hemisphere will be one World Heritage Site short.

If nautical archaeologists are hungry for adventure and good old fashioned treasure hunting, Port Royal is just waiting to be discovered by the rest of this relatively tame world. Experts say it is unlikely that another place on Earth compares to Port Royal. For now, legends of the city are just a short chapter in the text of a history book.

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Baiheliang: The World’s Ancient Hydrological Station

Since the first year of the Tang Dynasty in 763 BC, water levels of the Yangtze River were recorded with inscriptions of fish eyes and other hydrological annotations at Baiheliang. The rock served as a hydrometric station.

The rock laid submerged underwater for most of the year. In the winter and early spring seasons, the uppermost point of the rock would protrude from the Yangtze River’s surface. Then, the Chinese would indicate where the water level was according to what point of the rock it reached.

In total, there are 163 markings on Baiheliang, and 144 of those indicate the levels of the Yangtze River for over 1200 consecutive years.  Along with water markings, there are inscriptions from over 300 ancients Chinese poets. This series of symbols and markings makes Baiheliang the longest sequences of its kind in the world.

Baiheliang was unknown to the Western world until the 1970’s, when Chinese experts brought photos of the site to a British international hydrological symposium. Hydrological experts analyzed the inscriptions of Baheiliang and concluded that there was a cyclic pattern of water levels of the Yangtze River.

According to experts, every three to five years there was a period of low water in the River. Every 10 to 12 years, there was a dry season, and every 600 years, there’s a season of very low water in the Yangtze River. Interestingly, China’s two largest water conservancy projects, the Gezhouba Hydropower Station and the Three Gorges Reservoir were both completed after consulting the systemic data provided by Baiheliang. Reliable data about the Yangtze River levels is found at Baiheliang as hydrological experts corroborated findings of the Baiheliang inscriptions.

In May of 2009, an underwater museum in the Fuling District of the PRC was opened and Baiheliang is now on display. The Baiheliang Museum welcomes visitors from all over the world. Building the Baiheliang museum costs $186 yuan, roughly $27.6 USD. The Museum was under construction for six years and finally opened its door on May 18, 2009.

The Baiheliang Museum is mentioned as one of the eight submerged museums listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). At Baiheliang, water science and culture truly intersect and a fascinating piece of history is left for present and future generations to explore.

The photo above is a picture of the Yangtze River.

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The United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has an Underwater Cultural Heritage division solely dedicated to the protection and preservation of marine archaeology. This division of UNESCO developed a treaty to protect underwater cultural heritage. The treaty has been signed by 36 member states that are dedicated to UNESCO’s mission of conserving underwater artifacts and culture.

UNESCO encourages member states to collaborate and share best practices on marine archaeological excavation. The 2001 Convention for the Underwater Culture and Heritage endeavors to establish research methodologies and capacity building techniques for the field of nautical archaeology.

The ocean floor hides relics and shipwrecks. However, finding and exploring these wonders is jeopardized by pipe laying projects in the deep sea, treasure hunters and the fundamental lack of awareness about the significance of underwater cultural exploration.

Barbara Egger works with UNESCO’s Secretariat of the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in the Section of Museums and Cultural Objects, in the Division of Objects and Intangible Heritage.

In an interview with WaterWideWeb, Eggers explored the various concerns about the excavation work of marine archaeologists. Please read our interview below.

EAB: What is the main problem that faces the field of nautical archaeology?

BE: The main problem is that nautical archaeology is very developed in some countries like the United States, France, the UK and Australia. But in other countries, research centers for the study of nautical archaeology aren’t as developed. Political stakeholders aren’t aware of the importance of underwater culture and heritage.  In some countries, there’s a “law of find” policy where the person who finds the underwater object can keep it because he or she incurred the risk of doing so. These policies need to be modified.

EAB: How is UNESCO working to raise awareness about the significance of nautical archaeological research?

BE: UNESCO conducts classes hosted by heritage experts. In these classes, experts speak directly to government officials. Classes are taught with other institutions. Since 2008, UNESCO has coordinated a training center in Thailand on marine archaeology research. We are working with ministries of culture, hosting political workshops, and collaborating with high level decision makers in the field of marine archaeology. Currently, the convention has 36 state parties committed to protecting cultural heritage. Our goal is to get more countries to subscribe and to protect underwater heritage.

EAB: UNESCO also implements initiatives in child education with respect to marine archaeology. Can you explain that more?

BE: In the end, it’s the future generation who will protect marine archaeology. Investing in comprehensive programs to develop a cultural sensitivity to marine archaeology is vital to perpetuating an ethical responsibility for the protection of marine archaeology.

Take a look at UNESCO’s Kids Page here

EAB: Besides the children’s awareness campaign, are there other projects to educate the public on the respect for nautical archaeological sites?

BE: We are actually working on a diver’s program. We’re strategizing a code of ethics that instructs divers about the importance of responsible diving. We educate divers about the risk of damaging underwater objects if their equipment accidently comes in contact with a site. We inform divers that they shouldn’t keep underwater objects that they find. Instead, they should tell someone.

EAB: Why are nautical archaeological projects facing different setbacks than terrestrial archaeological ones?

BE: You wouldn’t dig up what you find at a terrestrial archaeological site. We’ve been imprinted with ethics not to do that. That’s what’s missing with archaeological heritage. When you dive, you shouldn’t take souvenirs. It’s because the field of marine archaeology is a relatively new discipline. Techniques for nautical archaeology were developed in the 1960’s. Whereas, terrestrial archaeology started late in the 18^th century and took up to the mid 20^th century to be taken seriously. It’s really a matter of time.

EAB: Are there specific threats to nautical archaeological projects that are more poignant than others?

BE: Treasure Hunting is a major threat to nautical archaeology. Pirate films propagate treasure hunting. UNESCO is trying to work against this image of the brave pirates who go digging for buried treasure. We try to work with media and film producers to make them realize that these images harm our cause.

EAB: Besides trawling, are there other major concerns in the excavation of nautical archaeologists?

BE: Besides trawling, there are major pipe laying projects that pose problems to nautical excavation. Projects that are extracting petrol or building wind power stations in the sea cause damage to the sea beds. The key to tackling these issues is raising the awareness level of development companies. These companies can be partners in discovering and protecting underwater culture and heritage. Typically, these companies are willing to displace a project to the left or right.

EAB: How can nautical archaeologists and development projects such as wind power plants work in tandem to protect underwater heritage and enhance development endeavors?

BE: We don’t want to stop development. Development companies should put these projects in place. Companies should conduct impact analysis tests before they start major pipe laying projects. There’s a big potential for synergistic relationships if these organizations work with us. We want people to be aware and to work together with us. Marine development companies have a great deal of technological equipment that’s helpful to marine archaeological excavation if the marine archaeologists and development companies collaborate.

EAB: What are some of UNESCO’s future plans for protecting underwater cultural heritage?

BE: We’re planning a meeting hopefully next autumn. It will be a scientific colloquium that will discuss threats to nautical archaeology. We’re working internationally on this effort. We work with a lot of universities. It will probably be hosted in Belgium at Leeuwin University.

EAB: Thank you for taking time to interview with WaterWideWeb.

BE: You’re welcome.

If you enjoyed this article, please read Part 1 of the series:

Nautical Archaeology Threatened by Trawling

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