| Abstract: |
Currently there is no clear system for the preparation, deposition and curation of maritime archaeological archives. This document has been produced to articulate the current situation through a range of case studies which demonstrate why there is an urgent need to promote dialogue between organisations involved with marine archives. To conclude, the archaeological record itself, the physical remains of our past, is a finite resource.
The dynamic marine environment poses threats to this cultural heritage from currents, tides, storms and human impacts. Archaeological archives are a nationally important resource; they offer the means to re-access and re-interpret our past, and as a result to re-define and re-articulate our own identity. Yet maritime archives are falling through this large gap in policy and practice. They are being dispersed, are deteriorating, remain un-interpreted and un-curated, are sold and sometimes simply abandoned. As this continues, more of our past is placed beyond the reach of the research community, of schools, of community groups, and of the public as a whole. |
