Understanding Underwater Archaeology - Underwater Cultural Heritage Network

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Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture

On May 20, 2012, Taiwan’s Council of Cultural Affairs (CCA) was upgraded to the Ministry ofCulture with the Bureau of Cultural Heritage (hereinafter referred as BOCH) under its jurisdiction.The bureau is in charge of national cultural heritage, implement and supervise national cultural heritage preservation, maintenance, application, education, promotion, study, reward, and sponsorship.Antiquities and Archaeological Sites Division is the competent authority of underwater cultural heritagein Taiwan. It is in charge of the planning, formulation, and promotion ofunderwater cultural assets, survey, deliberation, registration, abolishment, change, assistance, supervision, and consultation of underwater cultural heritage, and the zoning, management, and promotion of underwater cultural water heritage protected zone.

Taiwan’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Preservation Act

Taiwan’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Preservation Act was promulgated and implemented on December 9, 2015. In the future, the BOCH will formulate mid- and long-term study development strategy and plan, and establish a competent authority of national underwater cultural heritage preservation and study, to continue to have a general survey of underwater cultural heritage, establish a basic data bank, register and manage underwater cultural archaeological sites, set up a sanctuary and its supervision and management, develop survey and exploration technique, purchase necessary equipment, culture professional talents, strengthen exhibition education and public promotion, foster international exchanges and cooperation to echo the spirit and principles of Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage of the United Nations to actively preserve the common underwater heritage of all mankind.

Recordation and Management of Underwater Cultural Heritage

The underwater archaeological team entrusted by the BOCH has remarkable achievements over the last 10 plus years since training talents organized a team. As of today, concrete objects have been found in more than 100 areas of ocean in Taiwan’s jurisdiction of water. More than 10 sunken ships have been identified, ranging from the era of the Song Dynasty to WWII. After the implementation of Taiwan’s Underwater Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, the BOCH has started to have expoloration and registered management for important sunken ships including S. S. Bokhara, Warship Guang Bing, Yamafuji Maru, General Number One, and Green Island Number One.

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Understanding Underwater Archaeology

Background Research

Gather information from archives, historical documents, or interviews to provide a clear blueprint for underwater archaeology work.
Exploration and Survey

Utilize visual diving and underwater detection equipment to locate underwater targets.
Recording and Measurement

Conduct photography, imaging documentation, measurement, and description of discovered underwater targets.
Archaeological Excavation

Perform photography, imaging documentation, measurement, and description for the excavated underwater findings.

Underwater archeology process

Archaeological flow chart

Establishment of underwater archaeological priorities to Investigate sensitive areas and oral messages investigations.
Furthermore, a systematic survey of underwater cultural heritage is conducted, which is divided into:
- Underwater archaeological survey in shallow waters near shore: Using traditional underwater archaeological manpower in the Intertidal zone or dive into the seabed upside search for exploration.
- Deep water ocean science and technology exploration: Using various acoustic instruments to conduct strategic initiatives in specific waters investigation, review and inspection work.
Underwater archaeological verification and identification if suspected sites are found and emergency preservation and maintenance of the effluent samples.
Identification of archaeological or historical value and establishment of underwater cultural heritage assessment targets as applicable.
Finally, register, count and list underwater cultural heritage.

STEP.1

Preliminary survey

The aim is not to miss all suspicious objects and to use a variety of detectors during the investigation. Identifying the target locations of underwater archaeological sites.
STEP.2

Double-check

Comparison of primary image analysis results in response to a wide range of instrument data or there may be a review of the value of cultural heritage.
STEP.3

Make a thorough investigation

After reviewing the images and positioning them accurately, the most likely targets of cultural value are selected.Underwater photography using unmanned remote controlled vehicles for diving observation surveys.

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