Honor Frost Foundation

In order to achieve Key Area D of the MoU with the University of Cyprus Archaeological Research Unit, the “promotion of the Maritime Archaeology Research Laboratory of the UCy ARU as an eastern Mediterranean regional training centre of excellence in underwater archaeology”, the NAS was asked by the MARE Lab ARU to develop and deliver a variety of outreach and promotional activities associated with their planned investigation of the Mazotos wreck in 2019.

Two project activities were delivered in English and in Greek. The project activities included:
1. Pre-arranged visits over 4 days to the excavation of the Mazotos wreck for local scuba divers to meet the project team and to dive the wreck under supervision.
2. An NAS Introduction to Underwater Archaeology course delivered in the village of Mazotos. The village of Mazotos hosted the Mazotos shipwreck excavation team, so it seemed appropriate to host the course in Mazotos.

The “Reaching Out” project activity was delivered over two weeks (12 days in total including travel days), from the 3rd October until the 14th October 2019. As a result of the project, twenty eight divers visited the Mazotos wreck on 4 days during the period from the 5th October until the 12th October 2019. A practice day was undertaken on the 4th October to test the timing and logistics of the planned visits with the chartered boat. The Introduction to Underwater Archaeology course took place in Mazotos on the Sunday 13th October 2019. Unfortunately, only two people took up the offer of the free course.

The opening up the Mazotos Shipwreck site to the public, although demanding and challenging, proved to be an effective way to bring the site closer to the public. This was strengthened by the fact that the visits took place during the field project. Not only did the visitors have the chance to see the site, but they also saw the wreck within its contemporary context, with people working on the site, while a range of procedures were taking place. This is what evaluated their experience as something more important than just another dive. It contributed to the development of a connection with the site itself and its people, minimizing the existing gap between archaeologists and the public. Moreover, this experience has contributed to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the work undertaken which, in the long term, could play a significant role in the protection of underwater archaeological sites.

The future
It remains the aspiration of the NAS and the UCy ARU to promote the MARE Lab as a regional training centre of excellence in the Eastern Mediterranean. The partners intend to continue to work towards additional collaborative research and training ventures with other partners who are also working in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The 2013 HFF supported “Training the Next Generation” project was just the beginning of the exciting collaborative venture that has been benefiting both the people and the underwater cultural heritage of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean region.

More information is also available on the NAS website

The excavation of the Mazotos shipwreck started in 2010. In 2023 the ninth excavation season was conducted, aiming in continuing the exposure and documentation of the hull remains at the centre of the assemblage and monitor the site after four years of absence. Because of different challenges faced during the season, work at the main shipwreck assemblage was limited to survey and recovery of surface finds, instead of full excavation. A significant part of the season was devoted in detailed monitoring of the artefacts that had been stored underwater, since 2016. This was particularly useful, because it brought to the fore problems of the method previously applied, and provided evidence of disturbance at the site, which, in turn, led to strategic decisions for the future. Training students of the University of Cyprus, remained a key objective of the project: in total, eight post- and undergraduate students took part in the excavation and had hand-on experience in digital recording and data management methodology.

The 2023 field season was planned for six weeks (20 September to 29 October 2023). The main field activities were organised in two separate areas. The first was at the unexcavated part of the assemblage, from midships, where excavation stopped in 2019, towards the stern. When it became clear that excavation could not be conducted without risking to jeopardise the site (see next section, for details) decision was made to work on the surface layers: tag all visible finds and map their location accurately, using photogrammerty. The second working area was the ‘underwater storage’ that had been created at the site, where 138 partly-preserved or worn-out cargo amphorae had been left underwater, since 2016. A good part of the 2023 fieldwork time was spent monitoring these stored artefacts, because of the disturbed condition they were found. A significant part of the 2023 fieldwork time was also spent for the monitoring of the Underwater Storage. In total 99 artefacts were brought to the surface, cleaned and re-tagged, when necessary. Thanks to this laborious process, it was possible to establish that 14 were missing, which confirmed the initial impression that the site was disturbed, during the four-year absence of the team from the site. Of those 99 finds, 86 were returned to sea bottom, along with 66 of the ones removed from the main assemblage, all because of lack of desalination capacity at the Conservation Laboratory of the Department of Antiquities. They were all wrapped in geotextile, placed in an ordered arrangement and covered all together with a sheet of geotextile, secured in place with sandbags. Also, a plastic container with a lid was placed underwater, for the storage of 52 small artefacts. The box had a lid secured with chain, so that looting could be avoided (Figure 2). This solution will be used as a pilot one. Its performance will be monitored and assessed after one year of use.