Project Overview:
From the 16th of August 2012 to the 22nd of September 2012 the team was in Monte Cristi for the latest project. The plan was to conduct a survey of the wreck site which we have called The Island Wreck, which is located in the shallows of a deserted island in Monte Cristi Bay.
A RECCE of the wreck site was conducted in 2010, which prompted the research questions. There were a number of research questions which we were hoping to answer. Some of these were:
to identify the wrecking process and the route the ship took,
the macro and micro Shipscape,
the nationality and origin of the wreck
and time period and mission.
Three anchors, two piles of cannons, single cannons, 67 granite pre cut blocks, bases of wine bottles, small sherds of pottery, ballast stones of different sizes, lead patches, cannon balls, concretions, iron keel bolts were located and measured into the site. The site was then drawn on the Site Recorder program.
The project was the beginning of a multi year project to analyse the wreck site and was undertaken for the Ministry of Culture for the Dominican Republics Government. Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuático (ONPCS), and The Ministry of National Parks Medio Ambiente.
The 2012 Team had participants from: Dominican Republic, England, France, China, USA, Barbados and Canada. On the whole the weather held and apart from a few days of wind which meant that the Team undertook artefact handling in the lab. A of work was achieved and the project was a great success.
We have selected about 350 photographs to give you a feeling of the project.
ADMAT's maritime archaeological work on this wreck site was assisted by ADMAT-FRANCE a non profit organisation based in the Institut de Paléontologie Humaine, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
ADMAT-FRANCE is a sub division of the Anglo ~ Danish Maritime Archaeological Team
ADMAT is delighted to have an association with Muséum Nationald’Histoire Naturelle at Paris, départememt Préhistoire, UMR-CNRS 7194.
