In Situ Conservation of Coastal & Underwater Heritage Sites

Cuando hablamos de conservación en el ámbito de la Arqueología Subacuática, con frecuencia aparece vinculada al término in situ. En este trabajo presentamos, a través de un caso práctico como el del Proyecto Isla Grosa, un repaso a la evolución de la problemática asociada a este concepto, entendida desde la educación de la sociedad mediante el acceso público al patrimonio.

This document is intended to help Archaeologists fulfil their responsibilities towards the conservation of archaeological remains under the NSW Heritage Act, 1977. It focuses on first-aid conservation as a critical step in the preservation of artefacts and in situ remains. It provides information essential for a comprehensive understanding of the role of conservation within an archaeological project. Individual sections can be used as a quick reference to help solve dif cult or unforeseen situations in the  field.

The Australian Historic Shipwreck Preservation Project has been awarded a large ARC (Australian Research Council) Linkage grant (LP110200184) to investigate the excavation, reburial and in-situ preservation of wrecks and their associated artefacts, which are considered to be at risk.

This project will focus on Clarence (1850), a historically significant colonial wooden trading vessel located in Victorian internal waters near St Leonards in Port Phillip. The overarching theoretical focus will be on shipwreck site formation models and the project brings together the disciplines of behavioural archaeology, maritime archaeology, conservation sciences and maritime object conservation.

In the light of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, this paper discusses the perspectives and consequences arising from ongoing developments in maritime Stone Age archaeology on sites located at depths of as much as 140 m. Mapping and investigation methods are discussed as well as the possible cultural role of these now submerged areas.

A shipwreck, designated as Ma'agan Mikhael B, was discovered in 2005 by divers about 70 m from the shoreline and at a depth of 1 m, embedded in sandy seafl oor sediments. Soon after, the shipwreck was lost in the sand. In May 2015, it was located in a survey with a chirp sub-bottom profi ler, and a water-jetting survey in August 2015 confi rmed its position. This paper discusses the detection of the Ma'agan Mikhael B shipwreck using a chirp sub-bottom profi ler.

Burrup Peninsula in northwest Western Australia, with an estimated one million petroglyphs, has the world's largest concentration of ancient rock art. It is one of a few places in the world where a continuous history of people living with a changing environment for over 40,000 years is recorded through rock art. The art is under threat due to high concentrations of acidic and nitrate-rich pollution from nearby industrial complexes. Maintenance of the outer, rock or desert varnish, layer of the rocks is essential for preservation of the art. An increase in acidity of rock surfaces through acid rain and organic acids from nitrate-stimulated microbial growth may alter the mineral composition, integrity and colour of the rock varnish. This paper describes analyses of distilled water washings from rocks on Burrup Peninsula compared with rocks collected prior to industrialisation. Acidity of rock surfaces has increased from near neutral to a pH just above 4. The increasing acidity has been associated with a logarithmic increase in solubilisation of manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) compounds from the rock surfaces. A theoretical evaluation using electrochemical equilibrium principles confirms that increasing acidity will increase the solubilisation of Mn and Fe compounds. Removal of darker Mn and Fe mixed M(II)/M(III) compounds from the outer, rock varnish layer and the relative increase in ferrous oxide and illite/kaolin compounds will result in the rock surface layers becoming thinner, lighter, redder and more white/yellow over time. The impact on engraved surfaces would be expected to be greater because the rock varnish is thinner than on the non-engraved surface rock. Pollution from industry on Burrup Peninsula is likely to destroy the rock art over time.