Last week, the members of the Finisterre Project met at the 1st National Conference of Nautical and Underwater Archaeology that took place at the ARQVA – Museo Nacional de Arqueología Subacuática (http://en.museoarqua.mcu.es/index.html) in the city of Cartagena (Spain) between the 14th and 16th of March 2013.
During the Conference, the team members presented 5 papers about the different shipwrecks that are currently under study. Moreover, the results of the conservation of the materials recovered during the last seasons were also presented. The Conference was a great opportunity to share the preliminary results of the research conducted at the Punta Restelos shipwreck (1596), the Ribadeo wreck (16th century), and the SS Great Liverpool (1846).
We have realized that the Finisterre Project is becoming established as a leading project in relation to the study of the 16th century shipwrecks in the northwest coast of Spain. This would not have been possible without the determination and effort of the Spanish archaeologist Miguel San Claudio and the support of Archeonauta S.L., Regional Government of Galicia, Institute of Nautical Archaeology, and the J. Richard Stefffy ShipLAB of the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation of the Anthropology Department at Texas A&M University. However, there is still a lot of work to be done and we cannot afford to be complacent.
The Finisterre Project faces multiple difficulties every season, especially funding limitations, but we have no doubt of the great scientific and social value of our research. Having the opportunity to present the preliminary results of our research at the National Conference, and the interest showed by the conference attendees in relation to our project, make us realize that we are moving in the right direction.
Ciao!
The Finisterre Team
