Lawrence E. Babits

Maritime archaeology : a reader of substantive and theoretical contributions

The Field: Underwater Archaeology: The Fos Underwater Excavations R. Baucaire. The Secular Debate: Underwater Archaeology, European Versus American J.L. Shiner. Ethics and the Great Debate: The Worlds Worst Investment: The Economics of Treasure Hunting with Real-Life Comparisons P. Throckmorton. Areal Studies: The Mediterranean: Bibliography. Northern Europe: Bibliography. The Caribbean: Bibliography. The Pacific Rim: Current Status of Underwater Archaeology in Malaysia A.H. Taha. The Arabic World: Bibliography. Africa: Bibliography. Research Design: Hypotheses Building: Theory: Finding Sites: Site Location Factors: Site Formation Processes: Survey Methodology: High Technology: History of Going Underwater: Magnetometer: Sonar: Mapping and Recording: Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV): Site Significance: Significance: Specific Criteria: Data Recovery: Pre-Excavation Recording: Sampling: Extreme Date Recovery Conditions: Conservation: Interpretation and Exhibition: Interpretation: Exhibition: 44 Additional Articles. Appendices: Archaeological Organizations and Journals. General Bibliographical Sources for 17th Through 19th Centuries. Index.

Stalag Luft III: The Archaeology of an Escaper’s Camp

Stalag Luft III was a German prisoner of war camp for Allied aviators during World War II. Situated at Zagan, Poland, in what was once eastern Germany, the site is famous for repeated escape attempts, particularly the mass escape of 79 PoWs in March 1944. Though made famous by the 1964 John Sturges film, “The Great Escape,” little attention has focused on the site itself, which has experienced a complex wartime and postwar history. This study represents the first formal attempt at an archaeological assessment of the site, focusing on the events relating to the mass breakout attempt in March 1944.

Maritime Archaeology in North Carolina

There have been more than 5000 shipwrecks along the North Carolina coast since 1584. This figure does not include even more abandoned vessels. These sites have initiated not only a wide range of exploration as both amateurs and professionals have sought to acquire knowledge of the past but also exploitation as local watermen and salvors sought to recycle boats and their parts.

The Rural Vessel Abandonment Areas of North Creek, North Carolina

This chapter reports on planning, methodologies, and results of East Carolina University’s initial boat abandonment survey in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System. The survey was initiated following student reports of abandoned water craft in the sounds. Supported by a NC Department of Cultural Resources Survey and Planning Grant, the ECU Program in Maritime Studies conducted historical research and a shoreline and remote sensing survey along the Pamlico River’s north shoreline. While many individual wrecked and/or abandoned watercraft were encountered, this chapter reports on boat abandonment areas that were located.

Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV)

United States government and individual states mandate reporting on cultural resources in areas which are subject to development. The requirement that an archaeological survey is necessary to obtain permits for construction in the maritime environment has produced a huge number of reports. Unfortunately, these reports are not given widespread distribution and some were limited to fewer than twenty copies. This lack of distribution makes generalizations about areal studies difficult because, while the data have, in many cases, been collected, the information is not readily available. The best sources for obtaining information about areal studies along rivers and in coastal areas are the state archaeologists of the various states and the district offices of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Included in this section are some reports as well as materials related to survey such as geographical analysis and positioning systems.

The Mediterranean: Bibliography

The Mediterranean Sea is especially well known, especially those sites which were readily accessible to sport divers. No presentations are made for this area because the sites are so well known and some sites are dealt with in sections dealing with the history of underwater archaeology.

The Caribbean: Bibliography

The Caribbean has been subjected to a great deal of reporting on underwater sites for a variety of reasons. One of the driving elements has been the search for vessels used in the earliest exploration of the area by Europeans. Another has been the national interest of small states seeking to learn more about their history. The presence of artifacts, often of saleable quality has led salvors into the area as well. The Caribbean area is presented in bibliographic form because it is well known and reporting is fairly good.

The Arabic World: Bibliography

No presentations are made regarding the Arabic World as an areal study. The field work at present is preliminary and often unavailable in English as can be seen in the thinness of the bibliographic section.

Northern Europe: Bibliography

No presentations are made for this area because the topic is well known and represented by large number of publications. Some information is presented in other parts of the text.