MAANZ
Maritime Archaeology

In October 1902 using a hard hat and suit, a Benedictine Monk named Father Blundell, conducted one of the earliest underwater archaeological surveys, with a study of a crannog in Loch Ness. These crannogs are man-made islands, on which dwellings were constructed, but which have long since disappeared. There are over 350 crannogs scattered throughout Scotland, some of which are currently being studied. One of them dates back to 595BC.

Since 1902 and the invention of the aqualung in 1943, many underwater sites and shipwrecks have been relocated throughout the world. Many of these sites have been discovered by accident and some through years of research and diving, initially in a search for treasure, and later as serious archaeological investigations.

Some of the most well known discoveries around the world are:

  • Wasa which sank in 1628, recovered in 1961,
  • Mary Rose which sank in 1545, recovered in 1982,
  • Atocha which sank in 1622, rediscovered in 1985,
  • Batavia which sank in 1629, recovered in 1976,
  • Pandora which sank in 1791, rediscovered in 1977,
  • Sirius which sank in 1790, surveyed between 1983 & 1988.

 

MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN NEW ZEALAND

Of the 2000+ shipwrecks around New Zealand's coast, around 150 have been relocated, either through research or by accident. Most of these wrecks have been subjected to raids by divers for the odd relic or for their treasure.

As far as MAANZ is aware, the only shipwrecks or underwater sites that have had any sort of archaeological techniques applied to them, are:

  • ENDEAVOUR. Ship. This vessel became un-seaworthy and was stripped and abandoned in Dusky Sound, in October 1795. Although she was abandoned, she is recognised as being New Zealand's first shipwreck. Research into this vessel has been done in the past, some by Kelly Tarlton. This research led to the discovery of two of the ships guns, which were lost when they were being transported by raft to the shore at the time of the vessels abandonment. These guns were salvaged by Kelly Tarlton in 1984 and a report was completed following the research conducted by Sarah Kenderdine and Angela Boocock, who are both maritime archaeologists.

 

  • HMS BUFFALO. Ship. This vessel was wrecked in a storm at Mercury Bay on 29 July 1840. The remains of this vessel were surveyed by a team led by Bill Jeffery, a maritime archaeologist with the State Heritage Branch of the Department of Environment and Planning in Adelaide, Australia.

 

  • L'ALCEMENE. Corvette. Wrecked off Kaipara on 3 June 1851. This wreck has been studied by Kelly Tarlton and later by a combined Tarlton and Noel Hilliam survey. Noel Hilliam is the Director of the Dargaville Museum.

 

  • WHALE BOATS. Deliberately sunk in Lake Waikaremoana. A survey was conducted by Major Tony Howell in 1981 as part of an Army exercise, and a very comprehensive report was written and submitted to the Historic Places Trust. One Whale Boat was removed later and is now in poor condition. The remaining Whale Boat has been surveyed a couple of times since and is soon to be inspected again early in 2000.

 

  • TAUPO. Steamer. Sank off Mayor Island on 29 April 1881.

 

  • MARTHA. Barque. Became a hulk and sank at Tauranga in 1882. Kelly Tarlton conducted a preliminary survey to identify this site for the Historic Places Trust.

 

  • PA SITE. Doctor Roger Grace (Marine Biologist), submitted an article for the New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter (Vol.29, No:3, September 1985), about a drowned Pa site in Lake Okataina in the Rotorua District. It is believed that the site became drowned as a result of the Mount Tarawera eruption in 1886.

Of the 2000 shipwrecks around our shores, approximately 1200 come under the protection of the Historic Places Act. For any vessel protected under this Act, a permit must be obtained from the Trust before the site is altered in any way. The Marine Reserves Act also provides protection for wreck sites and is administered by the Department of Conservation, through which it is possible to obtain a permit to undertake a survey of a wreck within the boundary of a marine reserve.

Although the wrecks have legal protection, they continue to be subjected to raids by divers for the odd relic. Of all the wreck sites that have been raided, there has only been one case where a diver has been taken to Court for damaging a historic wreck site. This occurred in 1983. The site was that of the Taupo. The diver was charged and convicted, but took the case to the High Court where the charge was dismissed, as it could not be proved that he knew the wreck was over 100 years old.

Although the charges were dismissed, this was the first time that a shipwreck was recognised as being an historic site. Now that any wreck or submerged site prior to 1900 is considered to be an Historic Site, this argument can no longer be used.

David Churchill
MAANZ Founding President
c. 1993

Since David wrote this introduction about maritime archaeology, there has been over 13 years of active and ongoing progress in the conservation of New Zealand's underwater heritage.