The Society Annual Lecture 1961: Submarine Archaeology and Mediterranean Wreck Formations

Abstract

The pioneering maritime archaeologist, Honor Frost, presented this lecture when this was a developing profession. It is worth noting that ‘submarine’ mentioned in the title of this article is not the vessel, but the archaeological remains found under the water. (Her mention of ‘free diving’ should also be understood as using SCUBA or Aqualung equipment.) In the lecture, Frost raised the question of ‘professional marine archaeologists’ and how their profession would be created – would it be from qualified archaeologists training to be divers, or would divers be trained in archaeology? Is it worth creating this new profession, due to the high cost and the space required to store/ show the finds? The development of this profession was due to the work of Frederic Dumas who described how a ship came to rest on the ocean bed, and how to interpret it. Frost proposed new methodologies required for investigating an underwater site.

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Filed under: Mediterranean | Other (Twentieth C) | Shipwrecks
Subjects include: Archaeology | Historic Vessels, Museums & Restoration