Issue 18 Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

8/18/2019 Issue 18 Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

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Welcome to Issue 18 of Dredged Up, thenewsletter of the Marine Aggregate IndustryProtocol for the Reporting of Finds ofArchaeological Interest. Since the last newsletter,13 reports have been raised, each detailing anindividual find.

In this issue, we celebrate the annual Finds Awards– for best attitude by a wharf, best attitude by avessel and the best find of 2014–2015. Theongoing success of the Protocol would not bepossible without the dedication of wharf andvessel staff, so Wessex Archaeology would like tothank everyone for their continued hard work!

In addition to the best find from last year, thisissue also highlights some of the interesting findsthat have been made since last October. The

diversity of finds so far have included a post-medieval iron shot, a brass valve and bracket, aplate for a machine gun and, as always, the ever-present animal bone.

The brand new Protocol Awareness materials are

hot off the press, and the Protocol ImplementationTeam cannot wait to share them with you. More

information on this fantastic resource can befound on page 6.

Awareness Visits are free, informative and fun! A member of the Protocol Implementation Team

will not only bring all of the exciting newawareness materials, but will also provide the

opportunity for you to handle artefacts that havepreviously been reported through the Protocol –

from mammoth teeth to aircraft parts.

We have an interesting article written by TomHarrison on the wealth and variety of findsdiscovered off the East Coast on pages 4 and 5.Tom has recently joined the ImplementationTeam on an internship that is funded jointly byWessex Archaeology and Santander, and is inconjunction with Bournemouth University.

Also in this issue, we look at how the groundbreaking Marine Aggregate Industry Protocol hasinfluenced heritage protection in other industries,and how similar protocols are being applied toPorts and Harbour dredging in Portsmouth (page7) with the discovery of some interesting finds. Asimilar Protocol is also currently being relaunchedfor the fishing industry in Sussex as described onpage 8 by Alistair Byford-Bates, who isresponsible for the Fishing Protocol and is also

the newest member of the Marine AggregateIndustry Implementation Team here atWessex Archaeology.

Protocol Update

Book your Protocol Awareness Visit today – email us [email protected] or call us on 01722 326 867!

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Issue 18UpDre ed dgArchaeology Finds Reporting Service NewsletterSpring 2016

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We are delighted to announce the results of the 2014–2015 finds awards that celebrate the hard workof industry staff with regards to the Protocol. Nominations were made by the Implementation Team atWessex Archaeology, who work closely with the marine aggregate industry staff both at wharves andon vessels. The results were approved by Chris Pater, Historic England’s Head of Marine Planning, andMark Russell, the Director of BMAPA, and the winners are…

Congratulations to all participants and keep up the good work! For more information about all the finds reported this year, take a look at our annual report

that can be accessed from the Protocol websitewww.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/marine/bmapa/docs.html

2014–2015 Finds Awards

Best Attitude by a WharfIt was difficult to decidethe best wharf this year asso many wharves havebeen outstanding.However, a decision must

be made and the winner isTarmac’s Burnley Wharf inSouthampton. BurnleyWharf reported 20 finds in2014–2015, over double thenumber of finds reportedby any other wharf! Ahuge thank you to wharf

Best Attitude by a VesselThis is awarded to Hanson Aggregate Marine’s ArcoDart . The eagle-eyed crew discovered an intriguing,regularly shaped stone (Hanson_0572) while dredgingsand in the Severn Estuary. This find was excitingbecause the dredger screens used in sand extraction inthis area generally prevent larger objects fromentering the hold during sand extraction, and thereare few reports from the Severn Estuary. Staff on-board the vessel supplied detailed measurements anda crisp, clear photograph of the find, and evensupplied the find to Wessex Archaeology for furtherassessment. Unfortunately, in this case, further analysisconfirmed that the find is a naturally occurringsedimentary stone that had been abraded by the sea.However, similar soft stones have been used in the pastas whetstones for sharpening knives and blades.Overall, the crew of the Arco Dart deserve praise fordiscovering and reporting this unusual object.

Best FindThe most interesting find this year, and winner of thisaward, is the antique dive regulator (LTM_0581)discovered by James Lutman at Tarmac’s BedhamptonWharf. The artefact was recovered from materialdredged by the Arco Dee in Licence Area 372/1, east ofthe Isle of Wight. It was immediately recognised assome kind of diving equipment, and research by BobCampbell from the Historic Diving Society identified itas a Dunlop Underwater Swimmers’ BreathingApparatus (UWSBA) mouthpiece, and suggested it

staff who consistently provide detailed PreliminaryRecording Forms with excellent descriptions of findsaccompanied with clear photographs illustrating anyinteresting features on the find.

could have a link with the nearby Portsmouth NavalBase. The Dunlop UWSBA was scientifically designed bythe Admiralty at the National Institute of MedicalResearch and was the first equipment that alloweddivers to swim horizontally. Such equipment was usedby ‘frogmen’ during the Second World War. This find isparticularly interesting because, unlike so manyProtocol discoveries, this find could be definitivelyidentified, which then led to it being able to provide aprobable link with local naval diving activities.

Shaped stone (Hanson_0572)

Mouthpiece(LTM_0581)

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Piston(Britannia_0648)

Machine gun side plate (Tarmac_0639)

Detail

Possible weight (Tarmac_0646)

Brass plaque (Tarmac_0640)

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Finds from 2015–2016 so farEven though we are only half way through the reporting year that begins on the 1st October everyyear, there have already been some very exciting archaeological discoveries reported through theProtocol so far! Here are some of the highlights of the first half of 2015–2016, and we look forward toreceiving many more reports over the next six months.

Josh Small discovered this side plate of a Browning .50calibre machine gun at Erith Wharf. Wharf staffimmediately identified the find, and JonathanFerguson, Curator of Firearms at the Royal ArmouriesMuseum in Leeds confirmed the identification. TheBrowning .50 calibre heavy machine gun was designed

towards the end of the First World War by JohnBrowning, a renowned American firearms designer.These types of machine guns were used in a marinecontext as light anti-aircraft guns or anti-boatdefences, mounted aboard a ship or as the primary orsecondary weapon on a naval patrol boat. They werealso mounted on American pursuit aircraft during theSecond World War – Mustang and Thunderbolts, bothof which were based in England at various times.

This brass plaque was discovered by Steve Vince atShoreham Wharf. The plaque measures 9.5 cm inlength and 5 cm in width, and is clearly inscribed with‘Yarrow & Co LTD, Glasgow ’ around the outside with‘No. 381’ stamped in the centre. Yarrow and Co. Ltd.was a major shipbuilding firm founded in London in1865. In the first half of the 20th century, the companywas one of the world’s leading builders and destroyersof frigates, building ships for the Royal Navy as well asfor export. However, they also built a large number ofmerchant ships and boilers for other shipyards.

Members of the Caledonian Maritime Research Trust,dedicated to recording the maritime heritage of theClyde, identified the plaque as a probable boilerplate. The ‘No. 381’ is still a mystery, however researchis ongoing.

This unusual object discoveredby Bradley Troubridge at Murphy’s Wharf currentlyremains unidentified, although a number of possibleoptions have been suggested. The object measuresaround 16 cm in length and has a maximum width of5 cm, and comprises a wrought iron ‘sleeve’ with adeliberate opening along its length with a deep recesswithin which lie brass elements. One suggestion for its

use is as a counterweight or a sinker for towed gear,whilst another idea is that it represents a mechanicalcomponent. If you have a suggestion as to its function,we’d love to hear – please get in touch [email protected].

Remains of a pistonmeasuring 32 cm in lengthwere recovered by B. Murtonon-board the Britannia Beaver . Thecylindrical piston component has beendamaged and torn open, but the internalspring and a connecting rod are still visible.Since the object is made of iron, it is thought torepresent an early example of a piston as laterexamples were made from lighter alloys. It is possiblethat the piston derives from a boat or ship that hadbeen equipped with a steam engine and may date to

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The Protocol, which is now in its 11th year, hasproduced some outstanding results only possiblewith the help of the dredging and aggregateteams and their keen eye for finds. Most notablyis the coast off East Anglia, which is one of themost expansive resources for sustainable energysolutions and for the extraction of marineaggregates, with 13 licensed aggregate areascurrently in operation.

One of the main reasons why this region is soproductive is that throughout the past, sea levelshave risen and fallen along with the recessionand growth of the ice sheets, leaving not onlymarine aggregate deposits but also terrestrialdeposits. There have been multiple occasionswhere Britain was joined via a land mass tomainland Europe, with sea level changes inexcess of 100 metres. In fact, Britain only becamean island around 7000 years ago (see the mapsfound below).

This now-submerged land that extends betweenour eastern coastline and the Continent would

have been home to a vast host of flora, faunaand, most importantly, human occupation. Someof the oldest known finds of human occupationhave been found at Happisburgh off the northNorfolk coast and more recently a submerged

forest has been discovered off Cley to the northof Happisburgh. Further evidence lies out in theregion known as Doggerland that was once dryland, but is now submerged.

Additional modern and more common events inthis area of the North Sea can provide aninsightful look into the past. Largely exploitedfor shipping since the earliest days of maritimetrade and exploration, evidence of incidents andbattles are uncovered during dredgingoperations. Two examples of this are the SecondAnglo-Dutch war, which took place off Lowestoftin 1665, and then much later, the Second WorldWar, where huge losses in shipping and aircraftwere witnessed off our eastern coast.

This is why the Protocol is of such importance,and without the cooperation of those working inthe marine sectors, finds of great importance canbe easily missed or overlooked. Since the start ofthe Protocol in 2005, around 20% of reportedfinds have come from the East Anglia region,ranging from Palaeolithic fauna to the Second

World War wreckage. Evidence uncovered withinthe marine aggregate recovered from the licenceareas of this region potentially holds significantinformation of local, regional, national and eveninternational importance.

Focus on Finds – Discoveries off the East Coast


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The finds

Some of the most common finds in theregion are those dating back to when it wasan expanse of land. Palaeolithic findspreserve the types of fauna and flora thatwould have been in the area. But exceptionalfinds, such as the assemblage of Palaeolithichand axes and worked flints, show that thisland was inhabited and utilised by ourpredecessors. Hand axes were part of theessential tool kit of the time, and vital forprocessing local fauna; remains ofmammoth, woolly rhinoceros, deer and

elephants show the range of food sourcesavailable. Finds of whale bones from thesame region demonstrate the constantlychanging landscape and seascape.

It is hoped that those involved in the marineaggregate industry and the accompanying

Protocol will continue their great work inreporting finds that help to build a more completehistory of the UK’s prehistoric submergedlandscapes and maritime and aviation history.

Another common discovery has been the remainsof aircraft crash sites dating from the SecondWorld War. These finds are notably fragmenteddue to the impact of the crash, but they are aneye opening insight into the important barrierfrom mainland Europe that the Channel and

North Sea created during times of war. Otheraircraft objects, such as ammunition like thisSecond World War fuse cap from a 3.7" AA gun(below), are routinely reported.

Following the latest glacial retreat, Doggerlandhas been reclaimed by the North Sea and hascontinued to be an area of great activity. Earlyseafarers, such as the English, Spanish and Dutch,navigated their way along new found traderoutes, subsequently resulting in occasionalincidents and more notably battles during thisage of sail. Since the Protocol began largenumbers of cannonballs have been found in this

region. The four Anglo-Dutch wars, that tookplace over 132 years between 1652 and 1784,make this one of the richest regions in terms ofcannonball discoveries. Recoveries of round shot,the most recognisable projectile, have mostcommonly been reported through the Protocol inthis area, but examples of bar shot have also befound, which were designed to damage ordestroy enemy ships’ masts andrigging to prevent escape.

Mammothtooth

Deer legbone

Handaxe

Cannonball

Bar shot

Fuse cap

Aluminiumaircraft part

Worked flint


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Remote Learning PacksDes igned to augment t rad it ionalawareness visits, our remote learning packsprovide 24 hour access to awarenessmaterials. They include the poster,handouts and the new Induction Pack. TheInduction Pack enables industry membersto conduct their own awareness training,enabling wharf and vessel staff tofamiliarise themselves with the Protocoland provides an understanding of thearchaeology of the seabed.

The remote learning packs are a fantasticresource for Nominated Contacts and SiteChampions to reach new members of staffor those that have not been able to attendan Awareness Visit previously. In addition,because the packs can be used at anytime, they can be regularly accessed torefresh training.

All of the awareness materials can be downloaded fromwww.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/marine/bmapa/protocol-awareness.html

The Protocol – introduction to the scheme;

The Reporting Process – the journey an objectgoes on from being found to being reportedto the Nominated Contact;

Concretions and Metalwork – learn how tospot these clumps of metal and what they

could be concealing;Munitions and Ordnance – company Health &Safety policies and established operationalprocedures should always take priority overarchaeological reporting;

Prehistoric Finds – learn how to identifyworked flint or a mammoth tooth, and howimportant the discovery can be;

Photographing Finds – tips for producing highquality images with scale sheets;

Conservation – discover how to care for, protect

and store your find.

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The Implementation Team are thrilled to introducethe new Protocol awareness materials that wehave developed! Changes have been made toeverything from the poster to the handoutsincluding the Preliminary Record Form. The freshnew look includes a striking new logo and imagestogether with updated text throughout.

The poster (right) has been redesigned with theeye-catching word ‘DISCOVER’ made up from findspreviously reported by wharf and vessel staffthrough the Protocol and surrounded by a range ofdifferent objects also discovered by members ofthe marine aggregate industry, showing thediversity of archaeological material that is found.

The Preliminary Record Form has been restyled tomake recording finds even clearer and thereporting procedure more efficient. The revisedform includes the addition of tick-box reminders(for example to provide us with the track plot ofthe vessel), and enables you to make a noteoutlining how you are looking after any finds youhave discovered (for example, placing it in a bucket

of fresh water, stored in a cool and dark place).

The Handouts are an excellent resource that can beaccessed as and when needed to provide specificinformation on:

New look for the Protocol Awareness materials


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In mid-November 2015 capital dredgingbegan in Portsmouth Harbour in order tow ide n a nd de e pe n t he ha r bour t oaccommodate access for two Queen ElizabethClass aircraft carriers: HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales.

An On-Board Finds Reporting Protocol, basedon the Marine Aggregate Industry Protocol,was initiated and will be implemented

throughout the duration of the seabedclearance operations and dredging activitiesin order to reduce any adverse effects of thedredging on the historic environment and tomitigate against any unexpected discoveriesof archaeological material.

Since work began over 150 objects have beenrecovered ranging from modern glass milkbottles to numerous anchors and timbers. Butof particular interest is the recovery of an iron

cannon by Boskalis Westminster, the companycontracted by the Defence InfrastructureOrganisation (DIO) to undertake the dredgingprogramme. The discovery was reported viathe On-Board Finds Reporting Protocol toWessex Archaeology who analysed andrecorded the cannon.

Andrea Hamel, Senior Marine Archaeologistat Wessex Archaeology, explained that ’wehave already recovered a number of anchors, aquantity of modern glass and a range ofceramics during the work but cannons areparticularly exciting finds because they could

indicate the presence of a previouslyunrecorded shipwreck. More investigationinto the cannon will be needed to determineits significance, but hopefully ongoing

research will provide a date-range for thecannon and possible provenance.’

The cannon, which was later determined to bean isolated discovery, is currently under thecare of conservators at the Mary Rose Trustwhere it will be stabilised until it can beaccessioned to Portsmouth Museum for longterm display and conservation.

We look forward to seeing what else will be

recovered from this archaeologicallysignificant harbour with its long andinteresting maritime history!

Protocol success at Portsmouth Harbour

Recording in the field

Cannon (BWL1_0036)


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Alistair Byford-Bates

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Alistair studied for a degree in Archaeologicaland Forensic Sciences and a Master's degree inApplied Sciences by Research at BournemouthUniversity, after 25 years in the dairy industry.Since then he has been involved with commercialarchaeology, working on a range of sites acrossthe UK, and with a disaster managementcompany overseas. Alistair will not only be theapproachable contact for the fishing industry ofSussex providing support and advice on findsidentification and conservation, he will alsobecome a member of Wessex Archaeology'sImplementation Service for the MarineAggregate Industry Protocol – nothing likehitting the road running!

Re-launch of the Fishing Industry Protocol for Sussex

The UK's fishing fleets have been makingsignificant archaeological discoveries for many

years, yet sadly these are often attributed todivers who free up fasteners rather than theinitial finder. Examples from Sussex includemedieval rudders trawled up off Rye andWinchelsea, the Norman's Bay wreck and aValentine tank to name but a few. What hasbeen lacking in the past is guidance about howthese important discoveries can be reported andprotected, and why they are so important to ourshared heritage. The FIPAD project thereforeaims to connect more closely than before withthe fishing community and expand ourknowledge of the underwater heritage throughthe sharing of information and experiences.Wessex Archaeology's pool of experience andexpertise in the identification and conservationof artefacts both on the seabed and recovered tothe surface means that the best advice possiblecan be passed back to the finders. Furthermore,with their wealth of knowledge on the locationof wrecks and fasteners, and the artefactsthey have recovered in their fishing gearfinders are helping to expand the historicenvironment record.

More information regarding the FIPADincluding how to report a discovery

made off the Sussex coastcan be found at http://fipad.org/

Following the success of the Marine AggregateIndustry Protocol for the Reporting of Finds ofArchaeological Interest, a number of otherindustries have developed similar protocols. In2012, Wessex Archaeology launched the FishingIndustry Protocol for Archaeological Discoveries(FIPAD) pilot study, on behalf of English Heritage

(now Historic England) that lasted a year. TheFIPAD works in collaboration with the SussexInshore Fisheries Conservation Authority(Sussex IFCA) to help fishermen to voluntarilyreport any archaeological finds they discoverduring their work.

Continuing from the pilot study, applicationswere submitted last year to the Heritage LotteryFund (HLF), who would support and fund thecreation of the Historic Environment FisheriesLiaison Officer (HEFLO) post, following up therecommendations of the initial study. Wessex

Archaeology, with the support of the SussexIFCA, were successful in their application to re-launch the FIPAD, and in February of this yearAlistair Byford-Bates was appointed to theHEFLO post. Over the next few months he will berolling the scheme out again with the fishermenof Sussex.

wessexarchaeology

Documents

Issue 18 Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter