In the new headquarter of the Cultural Heritage Agency in Amersfoort Netherlands the final symposium of the MACHU project was held on June the 4th. Among the participants of the symposium were stakeholders, including members of the avocational diving community, maritime archaeologist, planners, policymakers and the partners who participate in the MACHU project.
During the symposium results and tools of the MACHU project were presented by the MACHU partners who participated in the 3 year project. Cees van ‘t Veen, director of the agency, officially opened the symposium by presenting a luxurious box with the 3 MACHU publications to the honorable guest Mrs. Judith van Kranendonk, director-general of Culture and Media of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW).
goals
The MACHU project had several goals when it started in 2006. Essentially the main objective of MACHU was and is to create ways to communicate cross border to make management of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) and therefore the protection and preservation of UCH more effective.
A very important MACHU objective therefore was the development of an international Geographical Information System (GIS) to manage UCH. UCH that is so often under threat from biological - and human interference.
In theory it sounds simple: extract and combine data from different sources and countries and put them in one database or viewer. But in the real world there are many problems: language, ways to describe data, national chronology and ownership of data is different in all countries concerned.
During the MACHU project creating a uniform platform to describe (archaeological) data was perhaps the main issue. A solid format has been agreed on to describe UCH. The web based MACHU GIS is the tool in which these uniform data are presented. The MACHU GIS with wreck and site data, was proudly presented as a new international uniform way to present Underwater Cultural Heritage.
website
A second important tool is the MACHU website; since MACHU is all about communication. The website is machu’s portal to the world and a guideline for managing UCH. On the website the story behind the raw (archaeological) data is given. Historical and other additional information concerning sites and wrecks in the MACHU GIS. The MACHU website functions as a communication platform not only for the scientific community and policymakers but also as a broad digital information centre on UCH.
Research
The third objective of the project was to develop and perform multi-disciplinary research programmes. This in order to get a better understanding and better management of UCH in each of the MACHU partner countries. Each MACHU partner presented the results of the research done by their own national institutes and sub contractors.
Managing UCH can not be done properly without international cooperation. MACHU and similar international projects will be necessary for the managing of UCH now and in the future. In this respect the MACHU symposium helped to bring together stakeholders involved in UCH from different countries and disciplines.
Symposium programme
- Words of welcome Cees van ‘t Veen, director RCE
- Digital accessibility of Cultural Heritage Underwater, Judith van Kranendonk (OCW)
- Introduction of the MACHU project, Martijn Manders (RCE)
- MACHU website as portal of UCH, Will Brouwers (RCE)
- Degradation of Archaeological Remains, Hans Huisman
(RCE)
- The Web based MACHU GIS, Herman Hootsen & Wim Dijkman
- Sedimentation-Erosion -
Modelling as a tool in UCH management, Justin Dix (University of Southampton)
- Outreach protects –
a new strategy for UCH management in Sweden, Andréas Olsson
(SMM)
- Russian gas and a Swedish ship barrier of 1715:An example of the influence of Infrastructural Works
on the management of Cultural Heritage under water, Mike Belasus
(RGK)
- The paleogeographical reconstruction of the Polish part of MACHU Project, Szymon Uscinowicz (CMM)
- Towards a management of UCH:
a multidisciplinary approach, Ine Demerre
(VIOE)
- The Portuguese Nautical Cultural Heritage in the
National Archaeological Records:
a multidisciplinary approach, Maria Luisa Blot
(DANS)
- Final conclusions Martijn Manders
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From left to rigth mrs. Kranendonk, M. Manders and C. van 't Veen enjoying
a MACHU presentation.
Andréas Olsson
of National Maritime Museums (SMM) presents
a new strategy for UCH management in Sweden
Discussion during a break with stakeholders.
Ine Demerre of the VIOE presenting the
management of UCH: a multidisciplinary approach
Consulting the MACHU GIS
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MACHU NEWS (Managing Cultural Heritage Underwater)