Page 71 - TINA Dergi Sayi 08

TINA

Maritime Archaeology Periodical

The operational center of the worldwide activities of the first scientific underwater excavation in the world.
the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) is in Bod- Many underwater excavations conducted before this
rum, which is located on the southwestern corner of the date were far from employing archaeological tech-
Aegean Sea coast with the magnificent turquoise wa- niques, but rather focusing on removal of underwater
ters of Turkey. The history of nautical archaeology and finds. The nautical archaeology has been initiated in
INA starts with a shipwreck during a visit by journalist 1960 in Turkey with the excavation conducted by a
Peter Throckmorton when he learned it from sponge team under the direction of George Bass.
divers in 1958. Throckmorton learns the existence of a George Bass, who continued his work on underwa-
shipwreck with a cargo of ingots during a conservation ter research after the Gelidonya excavation, called for
with sponge divers. It draws the attention of Throck- the Ministry of National Education to convert Bodrum
1
morton who took archaeology courses during his uni- Castle into an archeological museum in the beginning
versity years. He thinks that the finds may be copper of the 60s, and personally covered for the costs of the
ingots from the Bronze Age. However, he needs more exhibition displays. In the next year, after the Minis-
information. Therefore, he dives on the shipwreck in try of National Education manages to find funding, the
Gelidonya with the help of the sponge divers, and it first exhibition halls are built in the Bodrum Castle.
turns out that he was right. Based on the initial data, George Bass and his team undertake conservation of
the shipwreck seemed to belong to the Bronze Age. the artifacts they find in later excavations, and the ar-
When he returns to his home country to explain what tifacts are given to the museum for exhibition. With
he saw under the water, he inspires a group of archae- this, the foundations of one of the world’s few archaeo-
ologists, mainly Prof. Dr. Rodney Young. logical museums, the Bodrum Museum of Underwater
In 1960, George Bass, Peter Throckmorton and a Archaeology, are laid. This museum is visited by many
team of young divers come to Turkey. Their objective tourists visiting Turkey. Following these important de-
was to make use of systematic excavation techniques velopments, American Institute of Nautical Archaeol-
used for land excavations in underwater, and undertake ogy (AINA) is established in 1972.

1 Until the Ministry of Culture was formed in 1971, work on museums was assigned to the Ministry of Education.

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