issues of the newsletter. Several visitshave already taken place. If you wouldlike to book an awareness visit, contactthe Implementation Service on:

Since the last issue, many interesting findshave been reported through the Protocol,demonstrating the wealth and diversityof archaeology on the seabed. See page 2for details.

Cannonballs are often reported throughthe Protocol. They can provide importantinformation about maritime activity in thepast. See pages 4-5 to find out more.

Since the Protocol began, over 800individual finds have been reportedthrough the Protocol. These finds caninform future research and are frequentlyreferenced in reports. Pages 6-7 discusshow these finds are supporting furtherarchaeological research.

protocol@wessexarch.co.uk

Protocol Update

1

Welcome to Issue 9 of Dredged Up, thenewsletter of the BMAPA/TCE/EH ProtocolImplementation Service.

We are delighted to announce that fundingthrough a joint partnership betweenBMAPA, The Crown Estate and EnglishHeritage has been provided to continuethe Awareness Programme for the next18 months. The programme includesawareness visits to wharves and 3 further

From the left: Gemma, Katie and Sarah

Team News

Gemma Ingason returns following ayear of maternity leave. She rejoinsKatie Card and Sarah Phillips workingon the Protocol, with Euan McNeillmanaging the project.

Remember, if you have any questions aboutfinds, finds reporting or the Protocol, don’thesitate to get in touch with the team atWessex Archaeology.

+44 (0)1722 326 867protocol@wessexarch.co.uk

Dredged Upfrom the past

Autumn 2011

Issue 9

Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

Awareness visit at Cemex's Leamouth Wharf

Darryl Mason on boardreported two

sounding leads from Area 240.For over 2000 years soundingleads have been used to determinethe depth of water beneath a vessel.There is a small dimple on theunderside of the sounding lead,which was filled with a waxysubstance called tallow. When thesounding lead was lowered to theseafloor, some of the sedimentwould stick to the tallow. Thiscould assist crew to determinethe composition of the seafloor.This knowledge, along with the depthreadings, helped with the navigation of thevessel. It is likely that these sounding leadswere lost overboard whilst in use.

Finally, we commend Greenwich Wharf forsending in detailed photographs of a findfrom Licence Area 122/1A. Close-ups of theserial numbers and stamps allowed staff atthe RAF Museum to identify this as a pieceof aircraft. The find, discovered by PaulScrace, is part of the locking mechanism forthe undercarriage of an aircraft, possiblyfrom World War Two. This locking systemrotated when the pilot selected 'gear up'or 'gear down'. A stamped mark on theartefact is similar to one on a Spitfire andit is probable that this is from a Spitfirevariant of some sort. This can only beconfirmed if more associated finds fromthis area are reported. Staff receivingaggregate from Licence Area 122/1A shouldbe extra-vigilant for material of this type.

Arco AdurIn November 2010, Harry Gilham at BrettAggregates Cliffe wharf discovered thisbreak-action air rifle. It was dredged fromLicence Area 340 off the south-east coastof the Isle of Wight. The rifle dates topost-1950 and it is likely to have been lostoverboard from a ship.

A fragment of mammoth bone wasdiscovered by M. Bednarski on board

from Licence Area 102. Andy Currantat the Natural History Museum identified itas part of the jaw bone froman exceptionally largemammoth. Mammoth andother animal remains areoften found in watersaround the coast of theUK, deposited more than10,000 years ago when these areas weredry land and Britain was part of mainlandEurope. So far this year six prehistoricanimal finds have been reported throughthe Protocol.

At Brighton Wharf,M. Pettitt spotteda fragment of potwhich had beendredged by

off the coastof the Isle of Wight.

The fragment is from a Dundee Marmaladepot and dates to the late Victorian period(19th century) or possibly the early 20thcentury. It is likely to have been discardedas rubbish from a Victorian or later vessel.However, if further associated materialemerges from Area 137 it may then indicatethe site of a shipwreck.

SandFalcon

SandHarrier

Finds from 2010/2011 so far

2

Sounding lead from the Arco Adur

10 cm

10 cm

10 cm

We frequently contact specialists to helpus identify finds reported via the Protocol.Here is a selection of those specialists.

is the Curator of FossilMammals at theLondon. He has worked with the museum'sfossil mammal collection for nearly fortyyears. Andy spent many years excavating incaves and is a specialist on small mammals.His current studies explore the nature ofthe fossil record – how things becomepreserved in the first place, and the extentto which we can and do use them in ourresearch. Fossils are by their very natureextremely dead! – but they are the tracesof once-living animals; things that lived,breathed, bred and died. Andy helps usidentify animal bones. In particular hehas been invaluable in giving detailedinformation about the many mammothbones collected through the Protocol.

is a Buildings Consultant atHe helps to identify

some of the more unusual items reportedthrough the Protocol. Bob has worked inarchaeology for 25 years includingillustration, environmental, photographyand survey. Before this he worked in theconstruction industry on projects includinghistoric houses, where he gained hisknowledge of buildings. Bob’s skill inidentifying tools and fittings comes fromhis time as an auto machine turner.

Andy CurrantNatural History Museum

Bob DavisWessex Archaeology.

Andy SimpsonRoyal Air

Force Museum

is a qualified archaeologistand has been a Curator at the

since 1989. One of his keytasks is to research and update the detailedindividual history of all 250 or so aircraftin the museum's collection. He advises onpotential acquisitions, organises loans andacquisitions for the collection and aids thepublic, colleagues and researchers in theirenquiries. He works with the exhibitionstaff in the museum to update the museumaircraft displays. Outside of work, Andy hasa particular interest in late Roman Britainand is actively involvedwith fieldwork withthe Hendon & DistrictArchaeologicalSociety.

3

Meet the Specialist

Andy Currant

When reporting a find via the Protocol,remember to provide as much informationas possible about the find. Please providea full description of the materials and anydistinctive markings, written measurementsas well as scaled photographs and, mostimportantly, don’t forget to tell us wherethe find was from. This way we can map thedistribution of the finds to build a picture ofwhat lies on the seafloor.

Bob Davis

Andy Simpson

Cannonballs are one of several forms ofmunitions found on the seafloor. Alwaysfollow company guidelines on the safetreatment of munitions when they arediscovered. For more information seeBMAPA’s Guidance Note: Dealing withMunitions in Marine Aggregates, June 2006.In the past six years, forty cannonballs havebeen reported through the Protocol, withsix cannonballs already reported thisyear. Cannonballs can provide valuableinformation about maritime activities.

A cannonball is a type of projectile shotfrom a firearm, the size of which requiresit to be mounted on a support . Due totheir robust design, cannonballs oftensurvive on the seabed and may berecovered by archaeologists from a wrecksite. Marine aggregate extraction can alsorecover isolated cannonball finds oftennot associated with a wreck and usuallysurrounded by mystery. How did they endup there?

Without dredging, it is unlikely thatisolated cannonballs would be found.However, this means that archaeologistshave to examine the find away from itscontext. Understanding the context, i.e.find location and associated material, canoften provide clues about how thecannonball ended up there.

An obvious way they may be scattered onthe seafloor is that they may have beenfired, either during battle orin training. Sometimes bylooking at the cannonballit is possible to tell if ithas struck something. Therecovery of ship timbers orother wreckage in the samearea as cannonballs couldindicate the site of a seabattle and the location of a shipwreck.

Different sizes and types of cannonballsand other projectiles have been reportedthrough the Protocol.

1

Solid was made with varyingdiameters and weights depending on the size ofgun from which it would have been fired, whichcan be an indicator of age or nationality.Cannonballs could smash a hole in the hull orbe fired when heated to red–hot, to start fireson board to disable an enemy ship.

Captured vessels were a valuablespoil of war, and could be easilyrepaired and redeployed in thecaptor's fleet. weredeveloped to target the rigging ofvessels to prevent escape and aidcapture. This shot has twosmaller cannonballs linkedvia a bar or chain thatwould spin when fired.

is acontainer that wouldbreak open on firing andspray the enemy ship's deck with smallershot. Also known as 'man killers', theseprojectiles caused damage to vulnerablecrew manning the upper deck of vessels.

are a case of metal orother material which heldpowder and shot. Originally designedas hand-thrown grenades, they weredeveloped as explosive projectiles forcannon or mortars . Shells may look likecannonballs at first glance but they aretypically lighter. Take care, as they maystill contain explosives.

Military training is another reason whycannonballs are on the seafloor. Historicrecords show that in the British Navy of the18th and 19th centuries there was a cleartraining programme for gunnery. During thefirst month at sea of a deployment, therewere training exercises twice a week;during the second month there was trainingon the guns once a week. Training occurredonce every two months after that. Eachtraining exercise had a maximum of 6firings to conserve gun powder.

2

3

Round Shot

Bar/Chain Shot

Canister Shot

Shells

4

Focus on Finds – Cannonballs

Round Shot - Hanson

5 cm

5 cm

10 cm

5 cm

5

Cannonballs may also be evidence of 'lagan'.Lagan is when cargo is deposited in waterand marked with a buoy for collection later.It could also be used to weigh down otherthings, including sinking dead bodies forsea burials. 'In 1661 the trumpeter of the

was “sewed up in canvas, witha culverin shot at his head and anotherat his feet” and sent overthe side at daybreak.'

The first guns were placed on board ships,both merchant and military, from around1340. By 1500, guns were installed as themain method of missile-launching fromships and within 20 years this armamentwas arranged over two decks. There was noattempt to standardise armament on Britishnaval vessels until the 1660s, when SamuelPepys set a new principle that the weightof guns should be in proportion with theship's tonnage. Guns varied in size froma 42-pounder or 'cannon of seven', capableof firing a shot of 6.7 inches in diameter, tothe robinet, firing a shot of between 1lband 1 / lb. There were also smaller Dutchguns put into British service after beingtaken as prizes.

Sixteen cannonballs have been recoveredfrom the East Coast region. This was anarea of high naval activity, particularlyduring the four Anglo-Dutch wars whichwere fought between 1652 and 1784. Moreinformation about this conflict can befound in the Protocol Annual Report 2007-

Adventure

4

1 3

Armament

When reporting cannonballs, pleaseremember to note the diameter andweight of the cannonballs so that theyshot can be matched to the type of gunfrom which it may have been fired.It would also be of interest to have thevessel trackplot for the day the findswere discovered, so that we can mapany patterns of distribution, which mayaid the discovery of a new shipwreck.

Cannon ball UMA

2008 (pp10-11). The second largest numberof cannonballs were reportedaround the Isle of Wight,which is an area of heavymaritime activity overa very long periodencompassingnumerous conflicts.

It is important that cannonballs are reportedas quickly as possible via the Protocol, asthey may relate to important naval activitiesof Britain's maritime history.

10 cm

1 ,The Ordnance, HL Blackmore.

2 Caruana, A. B., ,Volume 1.

3,4 Davies, J.D., 2008,Barnsley, Seaforth Publishing p143 & p168.

The Armouries of the Tower of London

The History of English Ordnance 1523-1875

Pepys's Navy – Ships, Men & Warfare1649-1689,

During the past five years, over 800individual finds have been reported via theProtocol. These finds have been recoveredfrom all around the coasts of England.

Evidence from shipwrecks illustrates therange of maritime activities, location ofshipping routes and areas of previousconflicts. Aircraft fragments add to RAFrecords of World War Two casualties.Animal remains and flint tools reveal a lostlandscape where thousands of years agoman hunted prehistoric animals such asmammoth and aurochs.

Finds reported through the Protocol addvalue to our understanding of Britain’smaritime heritage. There are many waysthe information and artefacts collectedthrough the Protocol are useful, now andin the future.

Development-led workIt is a licence requirement for industriesworking at sea that they assess thearchaeological potential of the areaprior to starting work.

The Protocol team frequently talks tocolleagues requesting information aboutthe locations of Protocol finds for theirDesk-Based Assessments (DBAs). A DBAcollects and summarises in a report all thearchaeological and historical informationpreviously known about a defined area. TheProtocol provides one source of informationabout archaeology on the seabed. This thenhelps to determine the potential impactthat marine industries can have on thearchaeology.

Even when areas have been surveyed indetail, using geophysics, archaeologicalmaterial can remain hidden. This isparticularly true for prehistoric material,which is often buried below the seabed,within layers of sand or gravel. Accuratepositions of finds discovered through theProtocol are essential for mappingarchaeology on the seafloor; this allowsarchaeologists to return to an area forfurther research in the future.

6

The Value of a Find

Recent find fromArea 122/1A (Tarmac)

Mammoth tooth

7

Awareness visit at Leamouth Wharf

Public Access

http://www.pastscape.org.uk/

http://blogs.wessexarch.co.uk/aircraftcrashsitesatsea

National Recordfor the Historic Environment (NRHE).

English Heritage incorporates all theinformation about Protocol finds into theirPublic Archive called the

A large percentage of this archive isnow available online through theirPastscape website at

Searching by Licence Area produces alist of all finds reported from that area,e.g. ‘Licence Area 340’ currently shows8 results.

Other archaeological reports or research areavailable to the public via various onlinedatabases, such as the Aircraft Crash Sitesstudy commissioned by English Heritagefollowing several aircraft finds reportedthrough the Protocol. Read more aboutthe project at

This provides a valuable resource foramateur archaeologists or anyone with ageneral interest in maritime archaeology.

Education and OutreachProtocol finds often end up in teachingcollections, either with heritageorganisations or museums, and are usedto raise awareness about archaeology toindustry or taken into schools as a handlingcollection for pupils.

For example, Wessex Archaeology’sLearning and Access Team use artefactsto support Protocol awareness visits byillustrating the types of finds that staff maycome across at wharves or on vessels.

As mentioned in previous issues of DredgedUp, Wessex Archaeology took the finds outon the road for 'Explore the Seafloor', aswell as using them to bring history lessonsto life through WA's educational programmeTime Travelling by Water. Recent workshopshelped children imagine what it was like tobe a World War Two airman and explore theamazing technological development of shipsduring the Victorian period, by allowingchildren and teachers to get hands-on withreal archaeological evidence.

Your finds are valuable – keep reportingthem so we can tell everyone what excitingthings lie beneath the waves!

School workshop at Downton Primary School

Geophysical Survey is a method used tocollect data about the seafloor. Varioustechniques are used to create images andmap the physical properties. There areseveral acoustic methods for surveying.Sound waves are sent to the seafloor, andthe return signal is measured creating animage. Different types of sound wavesproduce different images.

is usefulfor identifying featureson the seabed.

shows the terrain ofthe seafloor.

Sidescan Sonar

Multibeam Bathymetry

Geophysical Survey is used by archaeologistsin three main ways for the marineaggregates industry.

1. Geophysicists look at a Pre-LicenceSurvey, conducted to look at the geologyand archaeological potential before alicence is granted and dredging can begin.

2. Once a licence has been granted, atypical condition of dredging is usinggeophysical surveys to monitor ActiveDredging Areas (ADAs). Sandwaves moveand this can reveal previously hiddenarchaeology. Bathymetry and sidescansonar are used to monitor the areas.

3. Following the discovery of significantfinds, data may be reviewed or a SpecificSurvey conducted to determine whetherthese finds are associated with a shipwreckor aircraft crash site. An intact aircraft suchas the Dornier 17, shown above left, canproduce excellent survey images.

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Pinging for data - Geophysics in aggregate areas

Sub-Bottom Profiler

Magnetometry

penetrates beneaththe seafloor.

does not use sound wavesbut instead detects variations in theEarth's total magnetic field caused bythe presence of ferrous (iron) materialon or under the seafloor.

Geophysical survey is an important toolto map the seafloor. This information,combined with artefacts reported via theProtocol, helps archaeologists understandmore about the archaeological potentialof these areas.

Dornier 17