Maritime Heritage Stewardship in Virginia

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Citizen Science in Maritime Archaeology: The Power of Public Engagement for Heritage Monitoring and Protection" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

There are more than one 100 active Underwater Exploration Permits in Virginia. These permits allow divers to search all state-owned bottomlands and to recover artifacts. In spite of a requirement for reporting finds, few permittees file reports. In February 2019, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) hired an underwater archaeologist for the purpose of improving permit situation. In order to improve communication and cooperation, VDHR held an informational seminar, in partnership with The Mariners’ Museum and Park, Newport News, Virginia, to provide information on the significance of Virginia’s maritime past and to offer an opportunity to participate in the effort to document and preserve underwater archaeological sites. An informational brochure and website were also developed. The effort is expected to result in improved communication and cooperation with the people who are most likely to encounter maritime archaeological resources, both along the coast and underwater.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• Citizen Science in Maritime Archaeology: The Power of Public Engagement for Heritage Monitoring and Protection

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 436