Featuring Our Faculty

Maritime Heritage and Archaeology

Community Outreach Interests

My interests lie in the following areas:

• The production of public outreach products from archaeological research for use in cultural tourism development including; heritage trails (above and underwater), websites, books, and pamphlets
• The utilization of avocational diving groups in site management and research
• The role of public education programs in nourishing preservationist ethics among community groups

I have previous experience in all of the above, most notably in the production of multi-layered cultural tourism developments within state government heritage management programs (South Australia and Tasmania). Of particular note is my experience in transforming academic research into a kayaking and small boat maritime heritage trail (the Garden Island Ships' Graveyard maritime heritage trail), and my work in facilitating the Port Elliot Maritime Heritage Trail. This model is currently being applied to a potential development for an Eagle Island Ships' Graveyard Maritime Heritage Trail in Wilmington, North Carolina. I have a desire to apply similar schemes to my current archaeological research at other locations in North Carolina as well as in Bermuda and Lake Erie.

I have also served as state tutor in the AIMA/NAS training program in Tasmania and South Australia which is a part of a global initiative to educate members of the diving community the benefits of preserving and protecting submerged cultural resources for research and cultural tourism development. I also have some experience in the creation and use of museum related school outreach programs.

Research Interests

My research interests lie in a number of areas—archaeological theory, archaeological site significance and site formation, cultural resource management, ship construction and maritime cultural landscapes. In particular I am interested in the application of high-tech visualization tools for research and cultural tourism development—in particular the use of acoustic remote sensing and three-dimensional photogrammetric techniques for these purposes.

I am also interested in the relationship and interplay between cultural tourism development, cultural resource management and archaeological research which are often at odds with one another. Lastly, I am interested in the growing trend toward the in situ conservation of archaeological sites and the consequences (and potential) this has for sustainable cultural tourism.

Notable Publications and Projects

Hartell, Robyn, and Nathan Richards. 2001. Garden Island Ships Graveyard Maritime Heritage Trail. Heritage South Australia: Adelaide.

Richards, Nathan. 1999. "Garden Island Ships' Graveyard: Maritime Heritage Trail." Heritage South Australia Newsletter 15(July): 14-15.

Richards, Nathan. 2000. "The Ships Graveyard." In Marr, Jane (ed.), The Port River. City of Port Adelaide Enfield: Adelaide, 33.

Richards, Nathan. 2007. "Garden Island (1906-1945)—Graveyard of Ships." In Nash, Mike (ed.), Shipwreck! Nautical Archaeology in Australia. University of Western Australia Press: Fremantle, 183-193.

Richards, Nathan and Chris Lewczak. 2002. "Back to the Bay: An overview of the Holdfast Bay Project 1974-2000 and the reinvigoration of avocational maritime archaeology in South Australia." Bulletin of the Australasian Institute for Maritime Archaeology 26: 19-26.

Courses

HIST/MAST 6650: Management of Coastal Cultural Resources (emphasis on heritage interpretation, trails, parks and preserves, public archaeology cultural tourism and archaeological education).

HIST 5005: Special Topics: Advanced Methods for Maritime Archaeology (emphasis on the creation of products from maritime archaeological research suitable for academic, outreach and tourism purposes).