DredgedUp

Protocol Update

from the past

Spring 2009

Issue 4

Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

The Implementation Service was createdin 2005 to allow BMAPA staff to reportarchaeological finds discovered duringaggregate dredging. Since the last issueof Dredged Up, in spring 2008, nearly 100individual finds have been reported throughthe Protocol. This is a fantastic testamentto the continued hard work and eagle eyesof industry staff in helping to preserve oursubmerged heritage.The Implementation Service is supportedby an Awareness Programme which aims,through site visits, workshops and DredgedUp to raise awareness of the service andthe finds reported through it. The ALSF hasrenewed funding for the programme until2011. If you feel your wharf or vessel wouldbenefit from a visit by our awareness teamto learn more about the Protocol andarchaeology, please ask your site championto contact Gemma Ingason on:+44 (0)1722 326 867.Welcome to the fourth issue of Dredged Up,the newsletter of the BMAPA/EH ProtocolImplementation Service.

Staff at Kendall’s New Wharf in Shoreham, examining someof the finds reported through the ProtocolNew Implementation Service Team membersGemma, Kevin, Andrea, Vicki and Dan

Team News

Since the last issue of Dredged Up,and due to the unprecedented numberof finds reported last year, theImplementation Service Team has tripledin size! Existing team members DianaForster, Stephanie Arnott and CristinaSerra have been joined by Andrea Hamel,Victoria Lambert, Kevin Stratford, DanielBrace and Gemma Ingason. This meansthat someone should always be availableto respond to reports as soon as wereceive them. The project is stillmanaged by Euan McNeill on behalf of Wessex Archaeology.

The award for bestattitude by a vesselwas given to the crewof the Hanson vessel the Arco Adur. Theyreported several finds during 2007/2008including a concentration of peat. Peatmight not be the most obvious archaeologicalfind but it is very important. By studying theplant remains within peat we can learn a lotabout the environment in the past whenthe seabed was dry land and it also providesmaterial for carbon dating. Recognising thedeposit and reporting it through the Protocolshows incredible good practice on the behalf of the Adur's crew.The final award, for best attitude by awharf, went to UMD's Bedhampton Wharf.Bedhampton staff regularly discoverarchaeological finds in loads dredgedfrom the south coast region, to the east of the Isle of Wight. These finds are generallyof post-1940 date and have ranged fromcutlery and bricks, to bicycle bells andships' fittings. Bedhampton Wharf wasrecommended for the award by Coastaland Marine Archaeologist Diana Forster,who described the staff's attitude duringan awareness visit last year as being

'Incredibly enthusiastic and highly commendable'.

The annual awards celebrating the work of industry staff with regards to the Protocolwere announced in November. The goodattitude of all staff involved made choosingthe winners extremely difficult. However,after discussion with Mark Russell, Directorof Marine Aggregates for BMAPA, and IanOxley, Head of Maritime Archaeology forEnglish Heritage, the following awardswere given.Kendalls Wharf won theaward for most significant findafter the discovery of an admiraltystyle telescope dating from 1944. It wasdiscovered by P. Stevens in February 2008amongst aggregate from Area 351 in thesouth coast dredging region. It is possiblethat the original owner lost it over the sideof a ship. The discovery of Roman samianpottery (see facing page) was also a hotcontender in this category but it wasineligible as it was not from a UK licence.

2007/2008 Finds Awards

Telescope from Kendalls Wharf

Admiralty style telescope from Kendalls Wharf Top: The Arco Adur (Hanson)Right: Peat (Hanson)Staff at UMD's Bedhampton Wharf UMD's Bedhampton Wharf

0 50 mm

Antler

Last May T. Kerrison and K. Myscin of Hanson recovered three finds fromaggregate dredged from the Kwinte Bank,in Belgian waters. The Protocol is currentlyonly applied in British waters but, as thereis currently no Belgian equivalent, Hansonreported the finds through theImplementation Service.The finds consist of two Roman bowls andpart of a deer's antler. It is not known if or how the different types of finds mightbe connected.

Roman Samian Discovered in Belgian Waters

Study of the pottery revealed that bothpieces were from samian bowls and theyboth had the same stamp imprinted intothe clay. The stamp reads 'C.ATVLLVS', withthe S reversed. This is thought to relate toCatallus vi, a potter working in Trier inWestern Germany. So far, no clear evidencehas been found to indicate exactly whenCatullus lived and worked, but the shapeand general appearance of these bowlssuggest that it may have been around themiddle of the 3rd century AD.The fact that both pieces of pottery arefrom similar shaped bowls with the samestamp may indicate that they were part of the cargo of a wrecked merchant vessel.Few shipwrecks of Roman date survive andthese finds may be the first indication of the presence of a very importantarchaeological discovery.The reporting of these finds demonstratesthe responsible attitude of Hanson staff as they brought them to the attention of archaeologists even though they werediscovered outside the Protocol's jurisdiction.

Two Roman Samian Ware bowls

Samian maker's stampMaker's stamp 'CATULLUZ'

050 mm