Public-Private Partnership Model For Excavation Of The Portuguese Nau Esmeralda (1503)

Summary

The financial, technical and logistical challenge of a long-term project to survey, excavate and scientifically analyze important cultural heritage material from the wreck site of Esmeralda, a Portuguese nau from Vasco da Gama’s second voyage to India lost in 1503 off the coast of Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman, was only possible through the combined and cooperative efforts of a number of public and private entities, including Oman’s Ministry of Heritage (MHC) and Culture, Blue Water Recoveries, Bournemouth University, the Smithsonian Institute, MAST, the National Geographic Society and the Waitt Foundation.  Capacity building of MHC’s nascent underwater archaeology program was an integral component of the project.  Since completion of the excavation in December 2015 the partnership model has been expanded to ensure that Portuguese archaeologists and other experts are involved in the analysis and interpretation of the artifact assemblage.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018   •
• The Maritime Archaeology of Al Hallaniyah, Khuriya Muriya Islands, Oman

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 708