Discovering treasures of the deep
Dr Christy Briles (Monash University) and Dr Jun Kimura (Murdoch University) during the excavation at Hai Yen in November 2012 (photo by Dr Mark Staniforth)
Archaeologists are seeking to uncover and preserve the sunken treasures of Vietnam's seafaring history, which stretches back over two millennia.
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Dr Mark Staniforth from Monash University's School of Geography and Environmental Science is leading an international team of archaeologists hoping to find and preserve historically significant shipwreck sites along the Vietnamese coastline.
Dr Staniforth, a specialist in maritime archaeological excavation said very little is known about how many shipwrecks might exist along the Vietnamese coastline.
“Almost no maritime archaeology survey work has been done along the Vietnamese coastline so it is important that we are able to preserve these sites,” Dr Staniforth said.
“The waters off Vietnam are rich with shipwrecks: Vietnam has a long coastline and seafaring activity has been extensive for at least 2000 years.
“Vietnam is centrally located in South East Asia and was on the maritime silk route which ran from China to the west via the South China Sea.”
The Underwater Cultural Heritage in Vietnam project, a collaboration between the Bach Dang River and Van Don Battlefield Research Group and the Vietnamese Institute of Archaeology, is currently focused on two sites of the defeat of Kublai Khan's fleet by the Vietnamese in 1288 AD at Bach Dang River and Van Don.
The site at Bach Dang River is currently covered by rice paddies, requiring researchers to use tools such as magnetometers, metal detectors and ground-penetrating radar.
Dr Staniforth said the preservation and protection of underwater cultural heritage in Vietnam has been a low priority for the Vietnamese government, with many valuable treasures finding their way to auction sites.
“The project will offer internationally recognised Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) training,” Dr Staniforth said.
“We are hoping to increase awareness at local, provincial and national levels about the extent and nature of Vietnam's underwater and maritime cultural heritage through NAS training,” Dr Staniforth, said.
“It will help Vietnam to preserve and protect its underwater culture.”
Dr Staniforth was recently appointed as the NAS Senior Tutor for Vietnam with responsibility for running all the country's NAS training.
With little or no formal teaching of maritime archaeology in Vietnamese universities, the project is also being used as a hands-on training ground for researchers.
"It is a medium to long term strategy so that the Vietnamese develop their own capacity to manage the country’s maritime cultural heritage," Dr Staniforth said.
The project has developed a crowd-funding website in association with CommonSites - Underwater Cultural Heritage in Vietnam and has set up a facebook page for supporters.