8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

1/8

Since the last issue, dedicated industrystaff have continued to report a wide rangeof unusual and interesting finds. In facta further 18 reports have been receiveddetailing 38 new finds and new reports are

being received every week. A selection ofthese are shown on page 6.

The finds awards for the 20082009reporting year were made in November.Given the vast range of finds and the hugelevel of support for the scheme that hasbeen shown throughout the past five yearsof Protocol reporting, choosing the winnerswas a challenge! Mark Russell from BMAPAand Ian Oxley from English Heritagesupported the nominations and the

results are announced on page 2.

Also in this issue, we are joined byEd Salter, English Heritage's MaritimeArchaeologist for Aggregates, who tellsus more about how English Heritageworks with the industry to protect oursubmerged history.

Ud pDredge

Protocol Update

fr m the pastoSpring 2010

Issue 6

1

Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

Welcome to Issue Six of Dredged Up,the popular newsletter of the marineaggregates reporting Protocol.

Staff at CEMEX's Dover Wharf examine finds during anAwareness visit

Staff at CEMEX's Southampton Wharfexamine finds reported through the Protocol

Team News

In 2009 The Crown Estate added itssupport to the Protocol ImplementationService by joining BMAPA as a fundingpartner. The Crown Estate, which ownsthe seabed out to the 12 mile limit andgrants licences for dredging, was deeplyimpressed with how effective theProtocol has been in protecting ourmarine heritage.

Accordingly the Protocol, formerly knownas the BMAPA/EH Protocol, will now be

known as the Marine Aggregates Protocol,supported by BMAPA, English Heritageand The Crown Estate.

As always, if you have any questions aboutfinds, finds reporting or the Protocol,please don't hesitate to get in touch withWessex Archaeology

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

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

2/8

The results of the 20082009 finds awardsare now in. The winners were nominatedby the Wessex Archaeology staff who haveworked closely with aggregate wharves andvessels over the past five years, and wereheartily approved by Ian Oxley of EnglishHeritage and Mark Russell of BMAPA.

Whilst all wharves and vessels haveworked tremendously hard to protect oursubmerged heritage over the past year, we

are pleased to announce that the 20082009finds awards go to:

- CEMEX

- TheArco Humberand theArco Avon (joint award)

- Tarmac Greenwich for thediscovery of a Radom pistol

CEMEX Portslade claimed the prize for thefor reporting thediscovery of a late 19th century relish potin March 2009. The pot was found in severalpieces by Michael Pettitt and Andy Roberts.Not only had wharf staff found severalpieces of the pot, they had devoted theirown time to searching the heaps for furtherpieces of the vessel. This dedicationallowed archaeologists to identify thatthe picture printed onto the find depictedthe Napoleonic battle of La Albuera.

Best Attitude by a Wharf

Best Attitude by a Vessel

Best Find

Best Attitude by a Wharf

Portslade

2008 2009 Finds Awards

2

Vis or Radom pistol found by staff at Tarmac's Greenwich Wharf

Staff on both theArco Avonand theArco Humberdeservetheaward for spotting very smallfinds during the last reportingyear. TheAvon reported thediscovery of a stone bead, and

staff on the Humberreportedan unusual small stone that iscurrently being studied by theBelfast Geologists' Society. Recognisingthese finds amongst aggregate on a vesselmust have been very difficult and theirreporting shows real dedication to theProtocol.

Finally, the award for goes toTarmac Greenwich (formerly UMD) fortheir discovery of a Vis or Radom pistol.

The discovery of this WW2 pistol, thoughtby some to be the finest handgun ofits time, is quite unusual. This type ofgun was manufactured in Poland from theearly 1930s, first for Polish troops and thenfor German forces after the invasion ofPoland in 1939 during WW2. It is a mysteryas to how it ended up submerged off theeast coast of Britain, as German forces onlyregularly issued this weapon to their policeand paratroopers. One theory is that aPolish serviceman owned it and continuedto use it when serving with the British Armyor the Royal Air Force after the Germaninvasion.

Best Attitude by a Vessel

Best Find

0 1 cm

0 5 cm

19th century relish pot found at CEMEX's Portslade Wharf

Below: Stone bead reported by the crew of the Arco Avon andthe unusual stone reported by the crew of the Arco Humber

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

3/8

Peat deposits can also contain evidencethat teaches us about ancient people suchas flint flakes and tools, worked bone orcharcoal that may indicate the location ofa fire many thousands of years ago. So bystudying peat we can find out what theclimate was like, when the plants in thepeat grew, whether people were presentand what their world was like.

If you find peat amongst a dredged loadreport it in the usual fashion. Fill in alldetails on the reporting form includingthe licence area and the date that it wasdredged. If it is found on board a vesselplease provide your Nominated Contactwith the trackplot as well your WessexArchaeology team will be requesting it! Ifsafe to do so, please keep a sample of thepeat in a clear plastic sack (no more thanhalf a bag). Label it with a description, the

date it was dredged and the name of thefinder or Site Champion. When it isreported we will give you a unique numberto add to the labels on the bag. You will notneed to store this sample for long if wethink we might be able to study it we willarrange to collect it.

Don't forget that if you need any adviceon how to report finds or which findsshould be reported, get in touch withyour Nominated Contact or withWessex Archaeology via

What to do if you find peat

protocol@wessexarch.co.uk

Peat amongst a dredged load is a problemfor the aggregate industry - it is a costlycontaminant that will be discarded.However, archaeologically, peat isincredibly valuable.

Peat forms when plant remains rot inanaerobic conditions those where oxygenis absent. This prevents the organicmaterial from completely decomposingso peat usually contains the recognisableremains of many different plant and treespecies. Archaeologists are especiallyinterested in peat that has come fromoffshore, where the location of peatdeposits are often known by staff in theaggregate industry long before we becomeaware of them.

The plant remains within peat found atsea date to a time when the areas dredgedtoday would have been dry land. Despiteintensive studies, the seabed is still a verymysterious place and archaeologists arecurrently trying to piece together thesequences of events that led to theformation of our seabed geology. Peat canhelp us to do this as plant remains withinpeat may be suitable for carbon 14 dating.We may also be able to identify the plantspecies within peat and these can revealwhat the climate and conditions were likein the past.

The Importance of Peat

3

Sample of peat clearly showing the plant remains within it

An archaeologist processes peat samples before studying the plant remains within them

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

4/8

Mammoth Amounts of InformationSome of the most exciting and enigmaticfinds reported through the Protocol are theremains of mammoths. They are also oftenthe oldest finds. Most of the examplesdredged up consist of teeth and tusks,though a few bones have been reported aswell, and most originate from Mammuthusprimigenius the Woolly Mammoth.

The Woolly Mammoth lived for 150,000years in Europe, Asia and America and

survived as a dwarf species on someislands until around 4,000 years ago. Itsgeographical spread and media-friendlyappeal mean that it is undoubtedly thebest known mammoth. However, it is notthe only type of mammoth - 13 specieshave been identified so far.

Whilst some of these lived solely inAfrica and America, three species livedin what is now the United Kingdom.

Examples of all three have been dredgedand reported by BMAPA companies.These are the:

Mammuthus primigenius

Mammuthus meridionalis

Mammuthus trogontherii

A: The Woolly Mammoth -

B: The Southern Mammoth -

C: The Steppe Mammoth -

4

Wooly mammoth tusk discovered at Purfleet Wharf

All mammoths are elephantsbut notall elephants are mammoths! At timesin the past the climate has been muchhotter than it is today - hippo boneshave been discovered in London thatrelate to this time. It is possible thatas well as finding mammoth remainsoffshore, the remains of elephants,such as the

that lived in Europe until around50,000 years ago, may be discovered.

Straight-tusked Elephant

A

B

C

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

5/8

5

Fossilised mammoth teeth and bones, SBV Flushing Wharf Hanson

Mammoth Facts

Songhua River Mammoth

Woolly Mammoths

The largest mammoth species was the- Mammuthus

sungari, which stood at least 5 metrestall at the shoulder.

Reports from Siberia say that theremains of wash outof the permafrost where they have been

preserved so well that the meat, oncethawed, can be eaten.

The shortest mammoths,those belonging to a dwarfspecies, measured between4.5 and 7ft tall.

Mammoth footprints have been foundpreserved at several sites around theworld.

Most species of mammoth had smoothleathery skin like modern elephants itwas only the Woolly Mammoth and thedwarf variety of Woolly Mammoth thatwere furry.

1-23 Mammoth tooth; Tarmac Erith Wharf4 Mammoth tooth; Hanson Arco Arun

5 Mammoth tooth; Hanson SBV Wharf6 Mammoth humerus; Tarmac Ridham Wharf7 Mammoth tooth; Hanson Arco Adur8 Elephant vertebrae; CEMEX Angerstein Wharf9 Mammoth tooth; Tarmac Ridham Wharf10 Mammoth tusk; CEMEX Sand Falcon11 Mammoth tusk; Hanson Purfleet Wharf12 De-laminated mammoth tusk; Hanson SBV Wharf13 Fossilised mammoth bone; Hanson SBV Wharf

Tooth of a Southern Mammoth; CEMEX Sand Falcon

Mammoths originated in Africa nearly5 million years ago as a species knownas Mammuthus africanavus, the AfricanMammoth. Between 3 and 3.5 million yearsago mammoths evolved out of Africa andspread to Europe and America. The firstmammoth to evolve outside Africa was theSouthern Mammoth, which was the ancestorof both the American Columbian Mammothand the European Steppe Mammoth.CEMEX_0265, a mammoth tooth reported

by Dereck Brown of the Sand Falcon, wasidentified by Andy Currant of the NaturalHistory Museum as originating from aSouthern Mammoth. This find may be over2 million years old, making it one of theoldest finds reported through the Protocol.

The study of mammoth remains is veryimportant to archaeologists. During past iceages it is thought that animals and hominins(early people) would have lived in the areas

that are dredged today. If we can start tounderstand where different species ofmammoths were living by studying theirremains, we can begin to suggest wherehominins may have lived. This helps us tolearn more about where we have come from,and it helps us to better protect sites of

archaeological interest.

9

10

1112

13

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

6/8

This shaped stone weight has been carefullyperforated to allow it to be used as afishing or net weight. It was discovered byMalcolm O'Neill amongst a load delivered toAntwerp Wharf, Belgium. Whilst the age ofthis find isn't yet known, it is possible thatit dates from the prehistoric period, overtwo thousand years ago. Modern fishingweights are made of metal as it is easier towork with. In the first half of the 20092010reporting year, Hanson also reported five

examples of modern fishing weights thatwere found aboard the Arco Axe.

This metal item was found by S. Smith ofTarmac, formerly UMD, and was identifiedas a cast iron retaining strap. Its solidconstruction makes it likely that this findhad a role to play in heavy industry, suchas in the construction of railways.It was dredged from the east ofthe Isle of Wight in an area that

has long been known to containa spread of post-war buildingrubble. Was this find depositedwith the spread of debris?Or is there another reasonfor its discovery deep belowthe waves?

Stone fishing weight found at a wharf in Antwerp

6

Finds from 2009 2010 so farSince the new Protocol year started (thefinds reporting 'New Years Eve' is on 30thSeptember every year) we have receiveddetails of 29 new dredged finds, andreports continue to be received everyweek. Here are some of the highlightsfrom the first half of 2009-2010.

This flag was discovered by Richard Cork atCEMEX and Britannia's joint venture wharfat Dover. Initially it was unrecognisable,having been covered in marine silts anddirt. However, careful work by staff at thewharf revealed the true identity of this flag a Red Ensign. Dredged from the busyshipping lanes to the east of the Isle ofWight, it has been reported to the Receiverof Wreck, who is currently trying to tracethe owner of this find good luck!

Red Ensign found at Dover Wharf

Left: Detail of Red Ensignfound at Dover Wharf

Fishing weights found aboard the Arco Axe

0 10 cm

Right: Cast iron retaining strapfound at Bedhampton Wharf

0 5 cm

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

7/8

7

The majority of finds reported through theProtocol are made of metal. This is partlydue to the durability of metals, some ofwhich can survive well in the marineenvironment, partly due to the largenumber of metal finds deposited at seain the past 500 years and partly due totheir being picked up on magnets or bymetal detectors.

One of the most enigmatic finds reported

recently was a length of lead wrappedaround a cannonball. This was discoveredby Justin Apps at Ridham Wharf in Kent andwas given to Wessex Archaeology during anAwareness visit. The find is incrediblyheavy and very mysterious; Phil Magrath, aspecialist from the Royal ArmouriesMuseum, who studies all reportedcannonballs, had never seen anything likethis. Experts from the University ofSouthampton suggested that the cannonball

may have rolled into the tubing on the deckof a ship but the lead appears to have beendeliberately folded at both ends to trap thecannonball inside.

The clue to the identity of this find may bein its weight this was clearly an itemdesigned to be very heavy. Could it havebeen designed to sink something to theseabed - perhaps something sinister thatneeded to be hidden? The dredging areaand region are not known, but further

discoveries that are dredged up in thefuture may shed light on this strangeobject.

This collection of metal finds wasdiscovered by S. Smith, G. Cooper and D.Lutman at Bedhampton Wharf, in materialdredged by the City of Chichester. Thesefinds came from the east of the Isle ofWight and are likely to represent part of aspread of material that lies in this areawhich is believed to have been dumpedafter World War II. The collection includesa four pronged fork, a padlock face plate, atime piece bracket, a belt buckle, 3 switch

covers, a damaged window handle, 2 doorhandles and a doorbell or isolation switch.

Most of these finds appear to be of adomestic nature, having come from housesor offices. Portsmouth Records Office holdsno reports of material having been dumpedoffshore in this way, however the continueddiscovery of finds from this area tells us

that this practice wastaking place whetherit was above boardor not!

Cannonball encased in lead

Mysterious Metal Finds

A cannonball encased in leadwhich was discovered at Ridham Wharf

Collection of metal items found by Tarmac staff

0 10 cm

0 5 cm

8/9/2019 Dredged Up from the Past - Issue 6 - Archaeology Finds Reporting Service Newsletter

8/8

The seas around England contain an immensewealth of archaeological remains that haveshaped our society and offer a uniquecontribution to our identity. This evidenceincludes not only shipwrecks, but also aircraft,and areas of seabed that were dry landthousands of years ago when they were anattractive place for our ancestors to live.

The potential for marine aggregate dredging to

have an adverse impact on the environment hasbeen recognised for a number of years. As thegovernment's statutory advisor for the marinehistoric environment, English Heritage worksclosely with industry and other governmentorganisations to ensure that the historicenvironment is protected during marineaggregate extraction.

Marine aggregates licences are issued by thegovernment on behalf of The Crown Estate, theowner of the English seabed. Any application fordredging must consider how extraction might

impact on the historic environment, and includeways to avoid, eliminate, or mitigate thoseimpacts. This is done through the process ofEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

English Heritage consults with industry and thegovernment throughout this process, whichresults in the completion of an EnvironmentalStatement. This document can take a number ofyears to complete and must include informationon the effects of the aggregates licenceproposal on the environment. This allows thegovernment, on the advice of English Heritage

and other environmental organisations, todecide if a licence can be granted.

In this issue Ed Salter, EnglishHeritages maritime archaeologistworking with the aggregate industry,talks to us about the work of theirmaritime team and the valuable workdone by dredging staff to protect our

marine heritage. Ed said:

Wessex Archaeology

English Heritage and the Marine Aggregates Industry

Aggregates licences normally include conditionsto ensure that effects on the historicenvironment are considered throughout allthe stages of extraction and during monitoringwork. Amongst the measures we use areArchaeological Exclusion Zones (AEZs), whereby

restrictions are placed on dredging within anarea around known archaeological sites. Inaddition, Temporary Exclusion Zones (TEZs)can be adopted around sites of archaeologicalpotential whilst they are still underinvestigation. Geophysical data collected inmonitoring surveys is routinely viewed andinterpreted by archaeologists to identify newsites or make changes to existing sites. On thebasis of this information, new exclusion zonescan be instigated and old ones can be alteredor even removed.

English Heritage also commissions projectsthrough the Aggregates Levy SustainabilityFund to reduce impacts on the marine historicenvironment during aggregates work. One ofthe most successful initiatives has been theMarine Aggregates Protocol for the Reportingof Finds of Archaeological Interest. Since itsinception in 2005, there have been over 173reports detailing nearly 800 separate finds.The Protocol has been a great success andthese finds have made a fantastic contributionto our knowledge of marine archaeology.

The Marine Aggregates Protocol is a greatexample of the strong relationship that hasbuilt up between English Heritage and theaggregates industry over a number of years.It highlights the value of working together,and indicates the benefits of early engagementfor both parties. The aggregates industryleads the way in its work with environmentalpartners, setting a standard for all other marinedevelopment activities. We look forward tobuilding on this together in the future.

8

For further information contact the

Maritime Archaeologist (Aggregates):Tel: 02392 856723Email: maritime@english-heritage.org.uk