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Portugal: new legislation advances research
The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology (1998) 27.3:258-264 Article No. na980176
®
News Report Portugal: new legislation advances research New Portuguese legal regime With the publication of the Law-decree no. 117/97 of 14 May 1997 and of no. 164/97 of 27 June 1997, Portugal embarked on a profound change in the administration of its nautical and underwater heritage. The first new decree established, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the autonomous administration of the archaeological heritage through the creation of a Portuguese Institute of Archaeology (IPA) which was, from then on, separate from the architectural heritage administrations. At the same time, a National Centre for Nautical and Underwater Archaeology (CNANS) was created within the IPA. In effect, the Ministry of Culture is now assured exclusive control by being elevated to the status of a Department of State which functions in a specialised national role endowed with autonomous operation and administration and with its own personnel and its own budget. The second decree revokes the previous law of 1993 (D-L no. 289/93) which rewarded treasure-hunters and maritime salvage companies--often the same thing--on their own terms. It was this decree that ran counter to the principles of m o d e m archaeology and that had aroused the indignation of academic circles and gave impetus to the vigorous opposition of Arqueonautica (the non-profit association of nautical archaeologists comparable to Britain's NAS). This movement developed into a major public debate well supported by the 'media' (radio, press and TV) on the scandal following the disclosure that the 1057-2414/98/030258+07 $30.00•0
jurist and government-deputy responsible for the 1993 law was in fact acting for one of the internationally best-known treasure hunters. The '97 law (164) introduces several innovations. First, it explicitly returns to the principles of epistemological, scientific and ethical unity whatever the physical medium (i.e. whether on land or in the sea). The law specifically cuts through the contradiction between scientific ends and profit from archaeological research. Second, the '97 decree protects not only the underwater heritage but also that of nautical remains in a non-aquatic environment--in other words historic ship remains on land. Such are the ancient ship timbers recently uncovered in the excavations for a Metro development in central Lisbon in the old bed of the river Tagus (Portuguese Tejo). Third, decree 164 introduces--in parallel with the traditional premium of 50% to inventors of fortuitous discoveries-a reward to finders/reporters based on the importance of the site from a scientific and cultural point of view. Fourth, financial and criminal punishments for attacks upon the heritage that are contrary to the regulations have been made heavier.
Remarkable changes in the '90s A profound political, cultural and administrative 'dark age' descended on Portugal's nautical archaeology after the adoption of the 1993 law (D-L no. 289/93) and lasted throughout !994-5. The first victim was the site of a late 17th-century wreck off southern Portugal. This caused © 1998 The Nautical Archaeology Society
NEWS REPORT
Figure 1. Map of Portugal mentioned in the text.
showing
sites
an outcry from the Museo Nacional de Arqueologia supported by the non-profit Arqueonautica association in Portugal and representations internationally (Giardini Naxos, October 1993). Among the casualties of this dark age of Portugal's nautical archaeology was the drying out of the timbers of the large late 15th-century to early 16th-century wreck of Cais de Sodr6 and the year-and-a-half delay over starting the investigations of,the Ria de Aveiro-A coastal wreck identified in 1994 and also dating from the 15th century (Fig. 1).
The situation changed for the better in 1996 but did not become fully clarified until May-June 1997 when the official protocol revoking the 1993 law was published and the two new decrees (nos 117/97 and 164/97) were enacted. The first indication of the easing position was the adoption of the S. Juliao da Barra project by the Commission for the Portuguese Pavilion of Expo '98 in Lisbon dedicated to The Year of the Oceans. Effectively this meant that the main presentation in the Portuguese Pavilion was an underwater theme; the search for and investigation of a nau of the East India Company wrecked near the shore at the mouth of the Tagus during the Age of Discovery. The project was put in the hands of the newly formed Institute of Archaeology (IPA) and started with the setting up of a permanent underwater archaeological agency (CNANS) under the direction of Francisco Alves. This centre inherited the infrastructure built up over 15 years by the National Museum of Archaeology during Alves' directorship. The shallows behind the point of S. Juliao da Barra at the mouth of the Tagus is the most important 'ship graveyard' on the coast of Portugal. The name signifies 'St. Julian of the sand-bar', Lisbon being guarded from the sea by a notorious sand-bar--in fact two, cachopos (shoals) North and South, with the navigational channel between. Storms would drive incoming ships onto the northern shore outside the bar, the S. Juliao da Barra graveyard. The project got belatedly under way in late October 1996. Once started it very soon produced outstanding results. The pepper wreck Arquenautica divers had already located the wreck of a nau of the Indies, very probably the Nossa Senhora dos M(trtires
lost there in 1606 on her return from Cochin, India, with a cargo of spice including peppercorns. Pepper was highly prized and this cargo was specifically ordered for 259
NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 27.3
Figure 2. Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain plate c. 20 cm across from the Wanli period: one of seven with cavorting deer decoration found undamaged at the NSdM wreck site.
the king. ' . . . imagine the Tagus full of pepper that, like a gigantic black mantle, ascended and descended at the whim of the tides, blackening the beaches upriver and down-river. 'tq It is estimated that there were 300 tonnes of peppercorns aboard the nau. Their presence in every nook and cranny of the surviving wreckage confirmed the identity of the ship and provided a protective blanket 3-25 cm thick over the site. Contemporary accounts of the wrecking indicated that the helpless nau was driven towards the rocky point and her bottom torn out when she struck a submerged ledge. Project divers found a significant section of hull and associated structure amidships and this became the main thrust of the investigation. The hull fragment has proved of exceptional inter260
est for comparison with other nautical remains belonging to the Iberian-Atlantic shipbuilding tradition. Up to 12 characteristic features that differentiate the few known Iberian wrecks of the Age of Discovery have been listed. All relate to the way the ships were put together. It is now estimated, despite the incomplete hull remains, that the Nossa Senhora dos Mdo'th'es is the largest vessel of this type yet studied with a probable deck-length of at least 40 m, a 13 m beam and a cubic capacity of 600 tons. Despite the wreck's exposed position there were still remarkable artefacts present on the site. There was a range of ceramics from Japan, Burma and Thailand and a group of superb Chinese blue-and-white porcelain from the Wanli period (Fig. 2). Of outstanding interest were a number of
NEWS REPORT
: .
+,~,+ , .
+~
+7!+
F i g u r e 3. Mariner's astrolabe signed and dated, in almost perfect condition: (a) assembled (b) dismantled into its separate elements (Photos: Jos6
Pessoa). navigational instruments including one signed and dated mariner's astrolabe in almost perfect condition. (Fig. 3). It carries the date 1605 of the ship's sailing for the Indies--the year before the wrecking--as well as the engraved letter 'G', the mark of the Portuguese instrument maker Francisco Gois' workshop. The Nossa Senhora dos M6rtires shipwreck investigation offered a most imaginative programme for the Pavilion of Portugal at Expo '98. Cais de Sodr~ vessel In 1995 in the course of excavations to enlarge the Lisbon metro at Cais de Sodr6,
part of the bottom of the hull of a large vessel emerged. The Cais de Sodr6 area (which identifies the vessel) lies on the ancient bank of the River Tagus in the centre of downtown Lisbon. Hull remains down to the keel indicated a very large ship. They were found during the clearing of a 24 m-wide tunnel which in effect cut the ship in half. The tunnel was perpendicular to the North-South axis of the hull which was slightly listing to port, so this was the better preserved side. Although the central section of the ship was lost, 23 pairs of knee timbers from the stern were present and 17 pairs forward. The radiocarbon date now puts the wreck in the second half of the 15th or early 16th century which makes this possibly one of the largest examples yet found of naval construction in the Iberian-Atlantic tradition. Nevertheless, certain senior archaeologists and guardians of Portugal's cultural heritage had in 1995 judged this discovery 'too modern' and, despite warnings, the timbers of this great and unique ship were allowed to dry out while the politicocultural debate raged over her future. This was still in the 'dark years' of nautical archaeology in Portugal and it was another 2 years before serious work could start. Ria de Aveiro A coaster Early in 1996, after nearly 2 years of bureaucratic difficulties, the programme to rescue the 15th-century wreck Ria de Aveiro A was launched. The wreck is named after the lagoon area near the city of Aveiro where it was found. The University of Aveiro collaborated with the IPA as did l~ric Rieth of the Mus6e de la Marine, Paris, and support was received from the Junta Nacional para a hTvestigafao Cientifica e Tecnol6gica and the Praxis X X I programme. The interior of the wreck was completely excavated and all the internal timbers recovered during the second campaign (1997 season). The stern half of the hull was complete, and, 261
NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 27.3
with its cargo of regional pottery and dried fruits, indicated a small coastal trader 20 m long constructed in the Iberian-Atlantic tradition. Previously the earliest and bestknown archaeological evidence for this tradition was all dated to the 16th century. This made the Aveiro A coaster, if not the
oldest, the best preserved example of this tradition yet found. (Fig. 4).
Fourteenth century evidence: 'Corpo Santo' Also in 1996, another early ship fragment emerged from Lisbon's metro workings for comparison with Aveiro A's timbers. The small remnant measuring 1"8 x 1"6 m from the wreck's stern was very similar in form to Aveiro A but is radiocarbon-dated even earlier, to the 14th century (Fig. 5).
Ancient shipyard The collection of discoveries from the same area of Lisbon received a further addition in June 1997 with the uncovering of what appears to be an ancient shipyard rather than a ship. The find occurred during preparations for an underground carpark, and consisted of many massive timbers shaped to form the frames and keels of large vessels. Proximity to the site of the famous naval yard, the Ribeira das Naus, suggests that this was the main depot for pre-fabricated structural elements for the navy yard and is one of the few examples known in Europe. This material as well as the excavated ship timbers previously discussed are being conserved and studied at the National Centre (CNANS). t21
Joint Azores project The islands of the Azores 1500 km from the Iberian peninsula out in the Atlantic
(c)
0
5cm
L
I
Figure 4. Aveiro A: (a) in situ view of the interior framing; (b) in situ view of port-side stern with
skeg; (c) line-drawing of skeg (Photos: F. Alves; drawing: CNANS). 262
Figure 5. Surviving timbers from the 1.8 x 1"6 m
section of the 14th century Corpo Santo wreck revealed when an air vent was being cut through in 1996 (Photo: Alves).
NEWS REPORT
31 °
300
29°
128°
27 °
26 °
25*
~)0coRvo FLORES
GRACIOSA I s A ° JORGE ~ TERCEIRA FAIAL~) ( ~ P i C O
: SAO MIGUEL
SANTA MARIA (D
a
J
(b) /
/
0
50
100
150
ANGRA DO HEROISMO FANAL
A G U A S ~
pLa2e da inha
"
!:~ Z O n f l 1 , zona 2
MONTE BRASIL TERCEIRA
(d)
(e)
~
~
--'-"-
-
Figure 6. (a) map showing Azores in relation to Europe and America (b) Terceira in relation to other Azores islands (c) position of the Bay of Angra Heroismo off Terceira (d) search zones within the Angra Bay (CNANS maps).
provide the final chapter in this survey of accelerated wreck research triggered by the law changes in 1997. Politically, culturally and administratively, the Azores are an autonomous district of Portugal. For three centuries all Iberian ships homewardbound called at the principal island, Terceira. There were numerous wrecks, many of them with rich cargoes from the
Indies and Americas and, in the recent past, the area has been targeted by foreign commercial interests encouraged by the 1993 law. Active collaboration between the Azores authorities and the newly formed mainland Centre for Nautical Archaeology was focused by the need for an archaeological survey in advance of marina construction in the Bay of Angra do Heroismo 263
NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 27.3
(Fig. 6). A geophysical survey carried out in September 1997 revealed another 'ship graveyard' with many wrecks from different periods. Among these, two early wooden vessels were identified lying in the direct path of the proposed breakwater and radiocarbon-dated to the 17th and 16th century, Angra C and Angra D, respectively. Angra D showed characteristics of Iberian ship construction but C falls into the Northern European tradition and may be Dutch-built. The objective was to survey and dismantle the structure of bbth wrecks and move them to other underwater locations away from the new harbour works for thorough study, unhampered by the pressures accompanying the rescue operation. Members of the team of 16 included divers from both the Azores regional agency for underwater archaeology
(Centro de Actividades Subaqu6ticas dos Azores) and CNANS, on-site consultant Peter Wadell from Parks, Canada and l~ric Rieth (CNRS, Paris); Dr Alves coordinated. Working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week the rescue was completed during the summer of 1998. The Angra D vessel is estimated to have had a displacement of between 400 and 500 tons and an overall length of 35-40 m but has not yet been identified from the shipwreck record. With CNANS still less than 2 years old, there can be no complaints that Portugal's subaquatic archaeology scene lacks activity. Francisco J. S. Alves Centro Nafional de Arqueologia N6utica e Subaquhtica, Avenida da lndia 136, 1350 Lisboa, Portugal
Notes [1] Page 106 of a fully illustrated publication Nossa Senhora dos Mfrtires--the last voyage produced in association with Expo '98. It covers almost every aspect of the project and is available in four languages including English. A review is expected in this volume. A video of the Expo presentation is also available. [2] All the central Lisbon ship finds are discussed in the Proceedings of the International Symposi~an."
Archaeology of Medieval and Modern Ships of Iberian-Atlantic Tradition, Lisbon, 1998
(forthcoming).
264
®
News Report Portugal: new legislation advances research New Portuguese legal regime With the publication of the Law-decree no. 117/97 of 14 May 1997 and of no. 164/97 of 27 June 1997, Portugal embarked on a profound change in the administration of its nautical and underwater heritage. The first new decree established, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the autonomous administration of the archaeological heritage through the creation of a Portuguese Institute of Archaeology (IPA) which was, from then on, separate from the architectural heritage administrations. At the same time, a National Centre for Nautical and Underwater Archaeology (CNANS) was created within the IPA. In effect, the Ministry of Culture is now assured exclusive control by being elevated to the status of a Department of State which functions in a specialised national role endowed with autonomous operation and administration and with its own personnel and its own budget. The second decree revokes the previous law of 1993 (D-L no. 289/93) which rewarded treasure-hunters and maritime salvage companies--often the same thing--on their own terms. It was this decree that ran counter to the principles of m o d e m archaeology and that had aroused the indignation of academic circles and gave impetus to the vigorous opposition of Arqueonautica (the non-profit association of nautical archaeologists comparable to Britain's NAS). This movement developed into a major public debate well supported by the 'media' (radio, press and TV) on the scandal following the disclosure that the 1057-2414/98/030258+07 $30.00•0
jurist and government-deputy responsible for the 1993 law was in fact acting for one of the internationally best-known treasure hunters. The '97 law (164) introduces several innovations. First, it explicitly returns to the principles of epistemological, scientific and ethical unity whatever the physical medium (i.e. whether on land or in the sea). The law specifically cuts through the contradiction between scientific ends and profit from archaeological research. Second, the '97 decree protects not only the underwater heritage but also that of nautical remains in a non-aquatic environment--in other words historic ship remains on land. Such are the ancient ship timbers recently uncovered in the excavations for a Metro development in central Lisbon in the old bed of the river Tagus (Portuguese Tejo). Third, decree 164 introduces--in parallel with the traditional premium of 50% to inventors of fortuitous discoveries-a reward to finders/reporters based on the importance of the site from a scientific and cultural point of view. Fourth, financial and criminal punishments for attacks upon the heritage that are contrary to the regulations have been made heavier.
Remarkable changes in the '90s A profound political, cultural and administrative 'dark age' descended on Portugal's nautical archaeology after the adoption of the 1993 law (D-L no. 289/93) and lasted throughout !994-5. The first victim was the site of a late 17th-century wreck off southern Portugal. This caused © 1998 The Nautical Archaeology Society
NEWS REPORT
Figure 1. Map of Portugal mentioned in the text.
showing
sites
an outcry from the Museo Nacional de Arqueologia supported by the non-profit Arqueonautica association in Portugal and representations internationally (Giardini Naxos, October 1993). Among the casualties of this dark age of Portugal's nautical archaeology was the drying out of the timbers of the large late 15th-century to early 16th-century wreck of Cais de Sodr6 and the year-and-a-half delay over starting the investigations of,the Ria de Aveiro-A coastal wreck identified in 1994 and also dating from the 15th century (Fig. 1).
The situation changed for the better in 1996 but did not become fully clarified until May-June 1997 when the official protocol revoking the 1993 law was published and the two new decrees (nos 117/97 and 164/97) were enacted. The first indication of the easing position was the adoption of the S. Juliao da Barra project by the Commission for the Portuguese Pavilion of Expo '98 in Lisbon dedicated to The Year of the Oceans. Effectively this meant that the main presentation in the Portuguese Pavilion was an underwater theme; the search for and investigation of a nau of the East India Company wrecked near the shore at the mouth of the Tagus during the Age of Discovery. The project was put in the hands of the newly formed Institute of Archaeology (IPA) and started with the setting up of a permanent underwater archaeological agency (CNANS) under the direction of Francisco Alves. This centre inherited the infrastructure built up over 15 years by the National Museum of Archaeology during Alves' directorship. The shallows behind the point of S. Juliao da Barra at the mouth of the Tagus is the most important 'ship graveyard' on the coast of Portugal. The name signifies 'St. Julian of the sand-bar', Lisbon being guarded from the sea by a notorious sand-bar--in fact two, cachopos (shoals) North and South, with the navigational channel between. Storms would drive incoming ships onto the northern shore outside the bar, the S. Juliao da Barra graveyard. The project got belatedly under way in late October 1996. Once started it very soon produced outstanding results. The pepper wreck Arquenautica divers had already located the wreck of a nau of the Indies, very probably the Nossa Senhora dos M(trtires
lost there in 1606 on her return from Cochin, India, with a cargo of spice including peppercorns. Pepper was highly prized and this cargo was specifically ordered for 259
NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 27.3
Figure 2. Blue-and-white Chinese porcelain plate c. 20 cm across from the Wanli period: one of seven with cavorting deer decoration found undamaged at the NSdM wreck site.
the king. ' . . . imagine the Tagus full of pepper that, like a gigantic black mantle, ascended and descended at the whim of the tides, blackening the beaches upriver and down-river. 'tq It is estimated that there were 300 tonnes of peppercorns aboard the nau. Their presence in every nook and cranny of the surviving wreckage confirmed the identity of the ship and provided a protective blanket 3-25 cm thick over the site. Contemporary accounts of the wrecking indicated that the helpless nau was driven towards the rocky point and her bottom torn out when she struck a submerged ledge. Project divers found a significant section of hull and associated structure amidships and this became the main thrust of the investigation. The hull fragment has proved of exceptional inter260
est for comparison with other nautical remains belonging to the Iberian-Atlantic shipbuilding tradition. Up to 12 characteristic features that differentiate the few known Iberian wrecks of the Age of Discovery have been listed. All relate to the way the ships were put together. It is now estimated, despite the incomplete hull remains, that the Nossa Senhora dos Mdo'th'es is the largest vessel of this type yet studied with a probable deck-length of at least 40 m, a 13 m beam and a cubic capacity of 600 tons. Despite the wreck's exposed position there were still remarkable artefacts present on the site. There was a range of ceramics from Japan, Burma and Thailand and a group of superb Chinese blue-and-white porcelain from the Wanli period (Fig. 2). Of outstanding interest were a number of
NEWS REPORT
: .
+,~,+ , .
+~
+7!+
F i g u r e 3. Mariner's astrolabe signed and dated, in almost perfect condition: (a) assembled (b) dismantled into its separate elements (Photos: Jos6
Pessoa). navigational instruments including one signed and dated mariner's astrolabe in almost perfect condition. (Fig. 3). It carries the date 1605 of the ship's sailing for the Indies--the year before the wrecking--as well as the engraved letter 'G', the mark of the Portuguese instrument maker Francisco Gois' workshop. The Nossa Senhora dos M6rtires shipwreck investigation offered a most imaginative programme for the Pavilion of Portugal at Expo '98. Cais de Sodr~ vessel In 1995 in the course of excavations to enlarge the Lisbon metro at Cais de Sodr6,
part of the bottom of the hull of a large vessel emerged. The Cais de Sodr6 area (which identifies the vessel) lies on the ancient bank of the River Tagus in the centre of downtown Lisbon. Hull remains down to the keel indicated a very large ship. They were found during the clearing of a 24 m-wide tunnel which in effect cut the ship in half. The tunnel was perpendicular to the North-South axis of the hull which was slightly listing to port, so this was the better preserved side. Although the central section of the ship was lost, 23 pairs of knee timbers from the stern were present and 17 pairs forward. The radiocarbon date now puts the wreck in the second half of the 15th or early 16th century which makes this possibly one of the largest examples yet found of naval construction in the Iberian-Atlantic tradition. Nevertheless, certain senior archaeologists and guardians of Portugal's cultural heritage had in 1995 judged this discovery 'too modern' and, despite warnings, the timbers of this great and unique ship were allowed to dry out while the politicocultural debate raged over her future. This was still in the 'dark years' of nautical archaeology in Portugal and it was another 2 years before serious work could start. Ria de Aveiro A coaster Early in 1996, after nearly 2 years of bureaucratic difficulties, the programme to rescue the 15th-century wreck Ria de Aveiro A was launched. The wreck is named after the lagoon area near the city of Aveiro where it was found. The University of Aveiro collaborated with the IPA as did l~ric Rieth of the Mus6e de la Marine, Paris, and support was received from the Junta Nacional para a hTvestigafao Cientifica e Tecnol6gica and the Praxis X X I programme. The interior of the wreck was completely excavated and all the internal timbers recovered during the second campaign (1997 season). The stern half of the hull was complete, and, 261
NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 27.3
with its cargo of regional pottery and dried fruits, indicated a small coastal trader 20 m long constructed in the Iberian-Atlantic tradition. Previously the earliest and bestknown archaeological evidence for this tradition was all dated to the 16th century. This made the Aveiro A coaster, if not the
oldest, the best preserved example of this tradition yet found. (Fig. 4).
Fourteenth century evidence: 'Corpo Santo' Also in 1996, another early ship fragment emerged from Lisbon's metro workings for comparison with Aveiro A's timbers. The small remnant measuring 1"8 x 1"6 m from the wreck's stern was very similar in form to Aveiro A but is radiocarbon-dated even earlier, to the 14th century (Fig. 5).
Ancient shipyard The collection of discoveries from the same area of Lisbon received a further addition in June 1997 with the uncovering of what appears to be an ancient shipyard rather than a ship. The find occurred during preparations for an underground carpark, and consisted of many massive timbers shaped to form the frames and keels of large vessels. Proximity to the site of the famous naval yard, the Ribeira das Naus, suggests that this was the main depot for pre-fabricated structural elements for the navy yard and is one of the few examples known in Europe. This material as well as the excavated ship timbers previously discussed are being conserved and studied at the National Centre (CNANS). t21
Joint Azores project The islands of the Azores 1500 km from the Iberian peninsula out in the Atlantic
(c)
0
5cm
L
I
Figure 4. Aveiro A: (a) in situ view of the interior framing; (b) in situ view of port-side stern with
skeg; (c) line-drawing of skeg (Photos: F. Alves; drawing: CNANS). 262
Figure 5. Surviving timbers from the 1.8 x 1"6 m
section of the 14th century Corpo Santo wreck revealed when an air vent was being cut through in 1996 (Photo: Alves).
NEWS REPORT
31 °
300
29°
128°
27 °
26 °
25*
~)0coRvo FLORES
GRACIOSA I s A ° JORGE ~ TERCEIRA FAIAL~) ( ~ P i C O
: SAO MIGUEL
SANTA MARIA (D
a
J
(b) /
/
0
50
100
150
ANGRA DO HEROISMO FANAL
A G U A S ~
pLa2e da inha
"
!:~ Z O n f l 1 , zona 2
MONTE BRASIL TERCEIRA
(d)
(e)
~
~
--'-"-
-
Figure 6. (a) map showing Azores in relation to Europe and America (b) Terceira in relation to other Azores islands (c) position of the Bay of Angra Heroismo off Terceira (d) search zones within the Angra Bay (CNANS maps).
provide the final chapter in this survey of accelerated wreck research triggered by the law changes in 1997. Politically, culturally and administratively, the Azores are an autonomous district of Portugal. For three centuries all Iberian ships homewardbound called at the principal island, Terceira. There were numerous wrecks, many of them with rich cargoes from the
Indies and Americas and, in the recent past, the area has been targeted by foreign commercial interests encouraged by the 1993 law. Active collaboration between the Azores authorities and the newly formed mainland Centre for Nautical Archaeology was focused by the need for an archaeological survey in advance of marina construction in the Bay of Angra do Heroismo 263
NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 27.3
(Fig. 6). A geophysical survey carried out in September 1997 revealed another 'ship graveyard' with many wrecks from different periods. Among these, two early wooden vessels were identified lying in the direct path of the proposed breakwater and radiocarbon-dated to the 17th and 16th century, Angra C and Angra D, respectively. Angra D showed characteristics of Iberian ship construction but C falls into the Northern European tradition and may be Dutch-built. The objective was to survey and dismantle the structure of bbth wrecks and move them to other underwater locations away from the new harbour works for thorough study, unhampered by the pressures accompanying the rescue operation. Members of the team of 16 included divers from both the Azores regional agency for underwater archaeology
(Centro de Actividades Subaqu6ticas dos Azores) and CNANS, on-site consultant Peter Wadell from Parks, Canada and l~ric Rieth (CNRS, Paris); Dr Alves coordinated. Working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week the rescue was completed during the summer of 1998. The Angra D vessel is estimated to have had a displacement of between 400 and 500 tons and an overall length of 35-40 m but has not yet been identified from the shipwreck record. With CNANS still less than 2 years old, there can be no complaints that Portugal's subaquatic archaeology scene lacks activity. Francisco J. S. Alves Centro Nafional de Arqueologia N6utica e Subaquhtica, Avenida da lndia 136, 1350 Lisboa, Portugal
Notes [1] Page 106 of a fully illustrated publication Nossa Senhora dos Mfrtires--the last voyage produced in association with Expo '98. It covers almost every aspect of the project and is available in four languages including English. A review is expected in this volume. A video of the Expo presentation is also available. [2] All the central Lisbon ship finds are discussed in the Proceedings of the International Symposi~an."
Archaeology of Medieval and Modern Ships of Iberian-Atlantic Tradition, Lisbon, 1998
(forthcoming).
264