Welcome!
Welcome to the Vasa Beakhead Recording Project blog. My name is Dr. David Stewart, Assistant Professor in the Program in Maritime Studies at East Carolina University, and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little about the project. This project is a collaborative effort between the Swedish Statens Maritima Museer (National Maritime Museums) and the Program in Maritime Studies at East Carolina University. We will be working on the ongoing documentation of the 17th-century Swedish royal warship Vasa, which sank on her maiden voyage in Stockholm Harbor in 1628.
The specific goal of this 3-week project (December 3rd – 21st) is to produce an accurate recording of Vasa’s beakhead structure (galjon), which has not yet been recorded in detail. This information will form part of the second volume of the Vasa final publication, due to go to press in 2008.
Preserved in excellent condition due to the cold Baltic waters, Vasa was raised in 1961. Today, it forms the centerpiece of one of Europe’s most popular museums; over 1 million people visit the Vasa Museum annually. Nowhere else in the world can visitors see such an intact warship from the Age of Sail: Vasa is 95-97% original, while others such as HMS Victory or USS Constitution contain less than 10% original timber.
The project directors are Dr. Fred Hocker, Head of Vasa Research, and myself. Dr. Larry Babits, Head of the Program in Maritime Studies, was instrumental in setting up the project, and will be joining us for one week.
Fred and I will also use this as a teaching opportunity for 5 ECU graduate students. These students are professional maritime archaeologists in training; all are working on MA degrees through the Program in Maritime Studies. One of them, Amy Leuchtmann, is a third-year student and veteran of 3 previous ECU field schools. The other 4, Peter Campbell, Theresa Hicks, Eric Ray, and Lyz Wyllie, are first-year students in the program. All 5 will learn how wooden warships were constructed, and how to document them for archaeological publication. In addition, as part of their training in public outreach, each student will write blog entries describing their experiences. Check back often to hear their stories in their own words.
We at East Carolina University are honored to help document this unique archaeological site. I would like to thank the administration of the Statens Maritima Museer and East Carolina University for making this project possible. In Sweden, Björn Varenius, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, has been especially helpful in arranging this partnership. Thanks also to Dr. Gerry Prokopowicz, Acting Head of the Department of History at East Carolina University, for his help.
Lastly, thank you for reading, and I hope that you enjoy seeing this story unfold.
David Stewart
The specific goal of this 3-week project (December 3rd – 21st) is to produce an accurate recording of Vasa’s beakhead structure (galjon), which has not yet been recorded in detail. This information will form part of the second volume of the Vasa final publication, due to go to press in 2008.
Preserved in excellent condition due to the cold Baltic waters, Vasa was raised in 1961. Today, it forms the centerpiece of one of Europe’s most popular museums; over 1 million people visit the Vasa Museum annually. Nowhere else in the world can visitors see such an intact warship from the Age of Sail: Vasa is 95-97% original, while others such as HMS Victory or USS Constitution contain less than 10% original timber.
The project directors are Dr. Fred Hocker, Head of Vasa Research, and myself. Dr. Larry Babits, Head of the Program in Maritime Studies, was instrumental in setting up the project, and will be joining us for one week.
Fred and I will also use this as a teaching opportunity for 5 ECU graduate students. These students are professional maritime archaeologists in training; all are working on MA degrees through the Program in Maritime Studies. One of them, Amy Leuchtmann, is a third-year student and veteran of 3 previous ECU field schools. The other 4, Peter Campbell, Theresa Hicks, Eric Ray, and Lyz Wyllie, are first-year students in the program. All 5 will learn how wooden warships were constructed, and how to document them for archaeological publication. In addition, as part of their training in public outreach, each student will write blog entries describing their experiences. Check back often to hear their stories in their own words.
We at East Carolina University are honored to help document this unique archaeological site. I would like to thank the administration of the Statens Maritima Museer and East Carolina University for making this project possible. In Sweden, Björn Varenius, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, has been especially helpful in arranging this partnership. Thanks also to Dr. Gerry Prokopowicz, Acting Head of the Department of History at East Carolina University, for his help.
Lastly, thank you for reading, and I hope that you enjoy seeing this story unfold.
David Stewart
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