scholarly journals Challenges for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), from Waterlogged and Weathered Stone Materials to Conservation Strategies: An Overview

Heritage ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 402-411
Author(s):  
Michela Ricca ◽  
Mauro Francesco La Russa
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Stone Materials ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Underwater Sites

Despite the growing attention to Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) in Europe and worldwide, the efforts in wholly enjoying underwater archaeological assets and sites are still remarkable; hence, the need for innovative research and solutions that are suitable for raising knowledge on the subject. In this way, this paper wants to be a review for highlighting all of the developments, potentials, and results achieved in the last decade to reach a good protection of UCHs related to the study of stone materials, degradation processes, and the new methods for protection/consolidation directly in situ. The present work is focused on the analysis of the main results obtained from several studies conducted to date, providing additional guidelines for operators in the UCH sector (i.e., restorers, archaeologists, conservation scientists, geologists, etc.). Such guidelines will be a very useful key factor in enhancing knowledge, management, protection, and promotion of underwater sites. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the state of the art on both consolidated techniques for studying materials coming from seawater and innovations in the field of protection and consolidation of UCH against biofouling, the main cause of damage in underwater environments.

scholarly journals Making the Invisible Visible: Underwater Malta—A Virtual Museum for Submerged Cultural Heritage

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1558
Author(s):  
Timmy Gambin ◽  
Kari Hyttinen ◽  
Maja Sausmekat ◽  
John Wood
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
Virtual Museum ◽  
Underwater Imaging ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
The Public ◽  
3D Photogrammetry ◽  
Underwater Sites

The seabed can be considered as the world’s largest museum, and underwater sites explored and studied so far provide priceless information on human interaction with the sea. In recognition of the importance of this cultural resource, UNESCO, in its 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, determined that objects/sites should be preserved in situ, whilst also advocating for public access and sharing. The implementation of these principles is not without difficulties. Some states have opened up underwater sites to the public—mainly through diving, yet the vast majority of the world’s population does not dive. In Malta, 7000 years of human occupation is reflected in and on the landscape, and recent offshore surveys show that the islands’ long and complex history has also left an indelible mark on the seabed. Besides difficulties related to their protection and management, these sites also present a challenge with regard to sharing and communicating. Recent advances in underwater imaging and processing software have accelerated the development of 3D photogrammetry of submerged sites and the idea for a virtual museum was born. The virtual museum, UnderwaterMalta, was created out of a need to share the plethora of underwater sites located on the seabed of the Maltese Islands. A multitude of digital tools are used to share and communicate these sites, offering visitors a dry dive into submerged sites that would otherwise remain invisible to the vast majority of the public. This paper discusses the basic principle of the sharing of underwater cultural heritage and the difficulties that beset the implementation of such a principle. A detailed explanation and evaluation of the methods used to gather the raw data needed is set in the context of the particular and unique working conditions related to deep water sites. The workings of this paper are based on first-hand experiences garnered through the recording of numerous wrecks over the years and the creation and launch of The Virtual Museum-Underwater Malta—a comprehensive virtual museum specifically built for “displaying” underwater archaeological sites that are otherwise invisible to the general public.

scholarly journals WHAT WE HAVE LOST FROM WHAT HAVE BEEN DONE: ETHICAL PROBLEMS OF THE SALVAGED SHIPWRECK CARGOES IN INDONESIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-234
Author(s):  
Hutomo Putra
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
Ethical Problems ◽  
Indonesian Government ◽  
Archaeological Methods ◽  
Underwater Sites ◽  
Term Management

The struggling in the ethical issues of submerged underwater sites and underwater cultural heritage have been undertaking in Indonesia for the last two decades. During these 20 years, commercial companies in collaboration with the National Shipwreck Committee recovered and salvaged substantial numbers of material cargoes. Unfortunately, the majority of these operations occurred without the involvement of archaeologists and lack of proper and controlled archaeological methods and excavation techniques. Since 2010, the Indonesian Government has declared a moratorium that temporarily stopped all commercial survey and salvage activities, and prohibits the sale of the artefacts.  Nowadays, more than 190,000 artefacts raised by salvagers are currently stored at the National Shipwreck Committee warehouses near Jakarta, in Cileungsi, West Java, Indonesia. This study attempts to illustrate the disadvantages of the commercial salvage practices and the auction of salvaged artefacts. This research also discusses some recommendations to contribute to a more ethical system of protection and the long-term management of the Indonesian maritime cultural resources, including its existing collections from salvaged shipwreck sites that are stored at the National Shipwreck Committee warehouse today.

Maritime Archaeology, the Dive Community, and Heritage Tourism

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur B. Cohn ◽  
Joanne M. Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
General Public ◽  
Heritage Tourism ◽  
Maritime Archaeology ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
The Public ◽  
Vehicle Technologies ◽  
Underwater Sites

In modern times, the development of new survey, navigation, diving, and remotely operated vehicle technologies have made the location, exploration, and excavation of historic shipwrecks feasible to the general public. The debate on the value of underwater cultural heritage is recent and the issues of protecting underwater sites are now accepted. The diving community has been engaged in this debate for several decades, and a wide variety of viewpoints have developed. Museums focusing on underwater cultural heritage serve as platforms to foster discussions on submerged cultural resource protection. As any archaeological site, shipwrecks excite the general public. While museums provide a venue to share the story of the wrecks, or the historical contexts in which they existed, there are multiple ways to share this information with the public that will allow them a first-hand experience with a shipwreck. This notion has given rise to the concept of heritage tourism.

The CoMAS Project: New Materials and Tools for Improving the In situ Documentation, Restoration, and Conservation of Underwater Archaeological Remains

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 108-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Bruno ◽  
Maurizio Muzzupappa ◽  
Loris Barbieri ◽  
Alessandro Gallo ◽  
Gerardo Ritacco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Archaeological Remains ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Unesco Convention ◽  
Innovative Materials ◽  
Cooperation System

AbstractOn November 2, 2001, the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage provided a detailed state cooperation system and set out the basic principles for the protection of underwater cultural heritage. To date, the Convention has been ratified by 51 countries. One of the four main principles states that the In situ preservation of underwater cultural heritage should be considered as the first option before allowing or engaging in any further activities. In accordance with these principles and recommendations, in the last years many projects intended for developing and testing new techniques and tools to support In situ conservation of underwater archaeological remains have been funded and are now underway.This paper describes the contribution of the CoMAS project (In situ conservation planning of Underwater Archaeological Artifacts—<ext-link ext-link-type="uri" href="http://www.comasproject.eu">http://www.comasproject.eu</ext-link>), funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) and run by a partnership of private companies and public research centers. The CoMAS project aims at the development of new materials, techniques, and tools for the documentation, conservation, and restoration of underwater archaeological sites in their natural environment. The paper describes in detail the results achieved during the project in the development of innovative materials, mechatronic tools, and armed remotely operated vehicle systems that can efficiently support the restorers' work in all their activities for preserving underwater cultural heritage in its original location on the seafloor.

scholarly journals Underwater Cultural Heritage and Maritime Archaeology in Croatia: An Overview

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irena Radić Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Maritime Archaeology ◽  
Classical Antiquity ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Systematic Research ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
Adriatic Coast ◽  
Modern Era ◽  
Maritime Environment

Archaeological sites in Croatia's shallow waters are mentioned in written sources from the sixteenth century, and since the eighteenth century they have been used as evidence for the sinking of the Eastern Adriatic coast. It was at the end of the same century that the first Roman shipwreck in Croatian waters was reported. Sponge divers and coral hunters raised archaeological finds from the seabed off the Croatian coast, thus contributing to the creation of many private and monastic collections. Isolated campaigns aimed at protecting underwater cultural heritage began in the 1950s, and by 1970 these efforts became part of a well-organized system. Although the lack of systematic research remains notable, a number of surveys and rescue excavations have enriched our knowledge of ancient seafaring along the Croatian coast and have contributed to the study of the maritime environment. Some well-preserved shipwrecks from classical antiquity and the modern era show excellent potential for thein situprotection and presentation of Croatian underwater cultural heritage.

scholarly journals Process monitoring for material extrusion additive manufacturing: a state-of-the-art review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Oleff ◽  
Benjamin Küster ◽  
Malte Stonis ◽  
Ludger Overmeyer
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Process Monitoring ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Monitoring Systems ◽  
Research Gaps ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Material Extrusion ◽  
Industrial Material ◽  
The Subject

AbstractQualitative uncertainties are a key challenge for the further industrialization of additive manufacturing. To solve this challenge, methods for measuring the process states and properties of parts during additive manufacturing are essential. The subject of this review is in-situ process monitoring for material extrusion additive manufacturing. The objectives are, first, to quantify the research activity on this topic, second, to analyze the utilized technologies, and finally, to identify research gaps. Various databases were systematically searched for relevant publications and a total of 221 publications were analyzed in detail. The study demonstrated that the research activity in this field has been gaining importance. Numerous sensor technologies and analysis algorithms have been identified. Nonetheless, research gaps exist in topics such as optimized monitoring systems for industrial material extrusion facilities, inspection capabilities for additional quality characteristics, and standardization aspects. This literature review is the first to address process monitoring for material extrusion using a systematic and comprehensive approach.

scholarly journals The Innovative and State of the Art Public Access Management of Malta’s Underwater Cultural Heritage

Heritage ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 3365-3381
Author(s):  
Timmy Gambin ◽  
Maja Sausmekat ◽  
Darko Kovacevic
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Maritime Archaeology ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Underwater Cultural Heritage ◽  
National Agency ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Unesco Convention ◽  
The One

The obligation to preserve underwater cultural heritage is a core principle of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. A key element of this obligation is a balance of scientific research, protection, and the promotion of responsible access to underwater cultural heritage sites. Such a balance requires the setting up of a network of communication between the tourism and heritage sectors on the one hand and the maritime and diving communities on the other hand. A variety of approaches have been developed to promote responsible access to underwater cultural heritage sites, and since the vast majority of the public does not dive, this also includes the development of virtual access. In Malta, maritime archaeology can be traced to humble and sporadic beginnings in the 1950s. The following decades brought a growing interest in diving activities and a rising number of diving schools and clubs. Whilst Malta has today established itself as a diving tourism destination, responsible access to underwater cultural heritage sites was not always entrenched in dive operations or institutionally recognized. The protection and management of underwater cultural heritage has recently been firmly established within Heritage Malta, the national agency for museums, conservations, and cultural heritage. This paper is intended to outline the trajectory of Malta’s underwater cultural heritage management and to present the innovative and state of the art public access system that is managed by the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit within Heritage Malta.

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