EXCAVATION OR PLUNDER?
In the last edition of The Digger, we reported that
Gifford and Partners were acting as archaeological consultants
for the controversial salvage of the 17th century warship
HMS Sussex. The finds, said to be worth ‘a billion dollars
or more,’ will be sold off and the proceeds split between
the US salvage company Odyssey and the British government.
Giffords are registered with the Institute of Field
Archaeologists (IFA). BAJR contacted the Director of
the IFA Peter Hinton, for comment. His informal response
is reproduced here with permission.
'The
IFA has been a signatory of most of the letters to the
MoD about the project. We've taken the view that it
is clear that the site will not survive (too well known,
too much loot) and rather than have it trashed with
grab buckets it is better to go with the Odyssey plan
and get some archaeological data. We've argued therefore
that the site needs proper archaeological supervision
and that the excavation should be to IFA standard. With
an RAO [IFA Registered Archaeological Organisation]
we expect to get that. None of the above detracts from
the view that the concept of digging sites to flog the
finds is appalling and possibly in contravention of
the Malta code.
'We will keep the pressure on the government throughout
so that they get the message not to be so dumb as to
enter into an agreement like this again. They know they
screwed up but of course cannot admit it, and we intend
not to let them forget how painful an experience it
can be. But that doesn't include turning our fire on
professional archaeologists trying to make the best
out of a bad job. Much the same line as not opposing
archaeological recording in advance of ill-conceived
dam projects, and so unlikely to be universally popular
- but the debate I think is about tactics rather than
principles, which seem to be pretty universally shared
on this one.
'I don't have a copy of the Giffords project design,
and I'd be amazed if one is available for public scrutiny
- not if it gives the detailed whereabouts of £3bn of
gold, anyway!'
- Peter Hinton.
Web Links::
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/conserve/sussex.html
The CBA state their case
http://shipwreck.net/pr44.html
Odyssey Marine Exploration Press release
http://www.andalucia.com/history/hmssussex.htm
The story of the Sussex
November
2003
