The Wreck of HMS Erebus: A Fieldwork and Research Update

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site of Canada: 2016-2019 Underwater Archaeological Investigations" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

HMS Erebus is situated amongst islands and reefs in Wilmot and Crampton Bay, off the west side of the Adelaide Peninsula, Nunavut. Since the wreck’s discovery in 2014, Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Team has completed a multi-year site evaluation, continues to carry out remote sensing and site environment studies, and has embarked upon targeted excavation, all of which takes place under challenging environmental and logistical conditions. This paper will provide an update on archaeological activities at the site and recent findings from the wreck’s debris field, hull exterior and hull interior. The paper will point to new insights into the 1845 Franklin Expedition gained over the last six years, summarize current research objectives and approaches, as well as point to recent and substantial structural changes to the wreck brought about by site formation processes.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• The Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site of Canada: 2016-2019 Underwater Archaeological Investigations

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 776