Nautical Archaeology Society

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The Nautical Archaeology Society^[1] (NAS) is a charity registered in England^[2] and is a company limited by guarantee^[3].

The charitable aims and object of the company are to further research in Nautical Archaeology and publish the results of such research and to advance education and training in the techniques pertaining to the study of Nautical Archaeology for the benefit of the public^[2].

Nautical archaeology is an archaeological sub-discipline more generally known as maritime archaeology, which encompasses the archaeology of shipwrecks, underwater archaeology and archaeology of related features.

The society's logo is derived from an ancient engraving depicting nautical activity. An explanation is given on the society's website^[1].

Logo of the NAS

1 History
2 NAS Training
3 International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
4 Joan Du Plat Taylor
5 Adopt-a-Wreck
6 Wreckmap Projects
7 References
- 7.1 NAS Training International

[edit] History

The Nautical Archaeology Society was originally incorporated and registered as a charity in 1972 under the name (The) Nautical Archaeological Trust Limited^[2]^[3].

[edit] NAS Training

The Society educates and trains professional and amateur archaeologists and commercial and recreational divers^[4]. The aim of the NAS training syllabus is to develop awareness, respect for and understanding of the maritime cultural heritage and to develop capability in the maritime archaeological sector by training in relevant archaeological, and underwater skills as well as to develop knowledge and understanding of the technology of the past^[5].

NAS Training is supported by Cadw and Historic Scotland to provide training opportunities in Wales and Scotland respectively. The development of the NAS training curriculum was supported by English Heritage and its predecessors from 1991 to 2004.

The NAS training syllabus has been adopted by a number of other organisations around the world.

[edit] International Journal of Nautical Archaeology

The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology (IJNA) is published bi-annually (Print ISSN 1057-2414, online ISSN 1095-9270) for NAS by Blackwell Publishing Ltd^[6]. It is a peer-reviewed academic journal but articles by amateur researchers that meet the journal's standards have been published.

IJNA aims to cover all aspects of nautical archaeological research including the seas, ships, cargos, harbours and sailors of the past.

IJNA was first published in 1972 under the founding editor Joan Du Plat Taylor. Since 1980, IJNA has been edited by Ian Morrison, James Kirkman and Valerie Fenwick. The current editor, Dr Paula Martin took over in 2003. Angela Crome has been reviews editor since IJNA was founded.

[edit] Joan Du Plat Taylor

Joan Du Plat Taylor (1906-1983)^[7] campaigned to bring nautical archaeology into the academic fold. She was founder editor of IJNA from 1972-1980. She also recognised that amateurs could play an important role in archaeology and established systems to educate and encourage them.

The Joan du Plat Taylor Award is a grant awarded annually by the Nautical Archaeology Society to support publication of nautical archaeological research. The grant was originally funded personally by Joan Du Plat Taylor.

[edit] Adopt-a-Wreck

Since 2003 the Nautical Archaeological Society has run a programme to encourage groups and individuals to take a close interest in a maritime site, and adopt a minimum level of stewardship, monitoring how the site changes over time. As well as shipwrecks, adopted sites can include harbour works and buildings with nautical connections, coastal habitations, hulks and other sea wrack of archaeological interest. The society maintains a register of all such adopted sites^[8] and provides an annual award to the person or group that has made the most significant contribution to maritime archaeology and research through the adoption process. Past winners have included:

2003. The Joint Services Dive Club and the Gibraltar Museum's Underwater Research Unit for their work on the 'Inner and Outer' wreck sites at Gibraltar Harbour^[9]
2004. The Queen's University Belfast Sub-Aqua Club (QUBSAC) for their investigation of the Alastor, a steel-hulled luxury motor yacht that sank in 1948^[10]
2005. The Weymouth LUNAR Society for their work on the Earl of Abergavenny shipwreck^[11]

In 2004 the Nautical Archaeological Society took custody of the remains of an Elizabethan wreck discovered in the Thames Estuary during dredging operations by the Port of London Authority^[12]. The remains represented a navigation hazard, and as they had been disturbed and damaged by the dredging operations, preservation in situ was not an option. The remains were investigated by Wessex Archaeology^[13] and dendrochronology by Nigel Nayling of the University of Wales gave a construction date of soon after 1754 probably in East Anglia. Now known as the Princes Channel Wreck, the remains were transferred to Horsea Island, an estuarine lake near Portsmouth, where the brackish water should enable the timbers to stabilise while they are accessible to students for study and training purposes. The Princes Channel wreck is formally adopted by a member of the society.

[edit] Wreckmap Projects

The Nautical Archaeology Society manages or participates in research projects with the aims of firstly furthering research and secondly enabling novice professionals and avocational archaeologists to have opportunities to get involved in archaeological research^[14] and hence develop individual experience and promote best practice in investigative techniques. Wreckmap projects focus on surveying and recording sites in a specific area. Wreckmap projects have been conducted in the Sound of Mull, Portland, Dorset and Teesbay (near Hartlepool).

Wreckmap Britain 2005^[15] encouraged recreational divers to submit a recording form for a favourite dive anywhere in Britain. Wreckmap Britain 2006^[16] was launched at the London International Dive Show (LIDS) on 1 April 2006 and has distributed 100,000 recording forms to recreational divers. The results will be added to the Shipwreck index^[17]. WreckMap Britain is conducted in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society (SeaSearch) and sponsored by Crown Estate, the BSAC Jubilee Trust and PADI through the Project AWARE Foundation.