United States

Tides of change: coastal geomorphology and the management of shipwrecks on beaches

Dr. Jennifer Elizabeth Jones (East Carolina University)

The archaeological remains of ships in the beach zone are part of a complex and dynamic system, being periodically exposed and reburied, they vary between being both visible and frequently forgotten features of the physical and cultural coastal landscape. These limited and nonrenewable resources play an important informational role as tangible pieces of maritime heritage that also document dynamic coastal processes. However, shipwreck remains in the beach zone are highly susceptible to landscape fluctuations that have the ability to both stabilise and/or destroy the resource. The stability or instability of these sites in turn, affects decisions regarding importance and management strategies. This paper will examine the relationship between coastal geomorphology and archaeological stability and the challenges to managing shipwreck sites on beaches in the intertidal zone. 

Cover image: Remains of the Ada K. Damon, Steep Hill Beach, Massachusetts, USA (Jones 2015)