Training Recreational Scuba Divers as Qualified Volunteers for Maritime Archeology Projects.

By Steven Anthony, Dennis Knepper, and James Smailes
MAHS Institutional Member

Last April Kendra Kennedy wrote a piece for Deep Thoughts about working with avocational archaeologists and the contributions they have made to the discipline.  As a follow up, we thought we’d contribute an inside look at one of the country’s longest-standing avocational underwater archaeology organizations, the Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society, more commonly referred to as MAHS.  Based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, MAHS has been providing recreational scuba divers with training in the ethical commitment and scientific skills needed to qualify as productive volunteers for underwater archaeology teams for the past 38 years.

In the Beginning

Going back to 1982, after eight years of controversy, the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decided the infamous case of Treasure Salvors, Inc. vs. the State of Florida in favor of Mel Fisher.  The Spanish Treasure ship, known as the Nuestra Senora de Atocha with all its gold, silver, emeralds and other treasures discovered by Fisher was finally awarded to him exclusively. News of this case set off a wave of underwater treasure hunting that the State of Florida and the country overall had never before seen. The old Skin Diver magazine ran a series of articles on the last page of each issue devoted to treasure hunting especially on the Spanish shipwrecks located in Florida waters. They intended these articles to promote more interest in the relatively new sport of scuba diving then referred to as “Skin Diving”.

In 1987, the late Roger Smith was hired as the Underwater Archaeologist for the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research and among other goals he endeavored to establish regulations to protect the state’s shipwrecks from this wholesale plunder.  As part of his effort Smith sought guidance from Lawrence E. Murphy, an underwater archaeologist with the National Park Service at the time. Murphy was ultimately appointed Chief of the Submerged Cultural Resource Unit of the National Park Service and he too endeavored to establish regulations to protect submerged cultural resources at the federal level.

Also, in 1987, the passage of the Abandoned Shipwreck Act resulted in individual states becoming responsible for the management and protection of shipwrecks within their territorial waters. In many instances the states were overwhelmed with the number of sites in their charge, needing to conduct site inventories as well as develop and administer site review procedures, with insufficient staff to execute this mandate. In time all this regulatory action in the Federal government and the State of Florida ultimately contributed to the 2001 adoption of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.

During this period, the late William Eddy, an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, who enjoyed scuba diving as a hobby, started the Nautical Archeology Division of the Capitol Divers Club in Washington, DC. He too consulted Murphy about setting up an organization that would direct ethical divers toward professional archaeologists that sorely needed volunteer assistance.

Murphy suggested that Eddy separate these scuba diving activities and start a new nonprofit group distinct from the Capitol Divers Club. This new organization would be open to all sport divers and researchers interested in studying and preserving underwater cultural resources and would be clearly distinguished from treasure divers and souvenir collecting scuba divers by a strong statement of ethics. Eddy, with Murphy’s assistance, ran with this concept and asked maritime historian and noted author Donald Shomette to serve as the first course instructor.

In consultation with volunteer attorneys, Eddy then proceeded to create a nonprofit corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The organization was to be governed by a Board of Directors and guided by an Advisory Committee of professional historians and maritime archaeologists. Under the ongoing guidance and supervision of Murphy, the Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society, Inc. (aka MAHS) was born.

Public Education and Outreach

There was a succession of Presidents elected during the early years, but MAHS benefited significantly with the Presidency of Dr. John Seidel a local university professor with extensive maritime archaeology project management experience. Dr. Seidel elevated the MAHS training program to rival similar academic programs and worked closely with Murphy to develop projects that generated the focus and capacity that provided MAHS with the experience it needed.  

One of the immediate goals of MAHS was to provide the Maryland Maritime Archaeology Program, operated under the direction of Dr. Susan Langley, Maryland State Underwater Archaeologist, with a cadre of recreational scuba divers, trained in the science of maritime archaeology by MAHS who she could call on to help her document and preserve the state’s historic shipwrecks.  

In time, as the organization gained recognition, MAHS was encouraged to participate as an Institutional Associate member of the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology (ACUA) of the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA). There was extensive controversy about this application. Questions arose such as “How do we know these volunteers have adequate training?”. “How do we know they are ethically committed?”. “How do we know these divers won’t come back to a site after a project with their friends and clean it out?” The debate went on for some time but with the faith and support of Dr. Paul Johnston, now Curator Emeritus at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and long time ACUA member and others, the vote was finally called, and MAHS became the first organization of avocational divers to qualify as Institutional Associate member of the ACUA.

Field Training

Graduates of the MAHS Introductory course have participated as volunteers in underwater archaeology projects throughout the United States, including those sponsored by the National Park Service, NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries, and various state and local governments.  MAHS-trained divers have also assisted with projects in the United Kingdom, St. Maarten, Curaçao, Anguilla, Egypt, Bermuda, and other locations around the world.

Throughout its history, MAHS has provided a model of volunteer, recreational diver participation in underwater archaeology projects.  Similarly minded groups throughout the country such as the Maritime Archaeology Society in Oregon have embraced the MAHS model as well.

Advocacy

In addition to research and education, MAHS has been an active advocate for the protection of submerged cultural resources at risk of salvage by treasure hunters.  In 1999, MAHS opposed the disturbance by salvors of two Spanish shipwrecks discovered along the shorelines of Maryland and Virginia.  Ultimately this opposition alerted the Kingdom of Spain to its obligation to take an active role in the protection of its submerged cultural resources. Working with James Goold of the prestigious law firm Covington & Burling LLP, the resulting litigation reached the U.S. Supreme Court and ended in a watershed decision that established the rule that Spain and other nation states around the globe have the right and responsibility to protect their sovereign title to government shipwrecks regardless of the location in which they occur.

In February 2012, MAHS also rang the alarm about the HMS Victory, an English shipwreck destined to be salvaged by Odyssey Marine Exploration as part of their first experiment in “commercial archaeology.” The British preservation community took up the charge and the HMS Victory to this day remains protected from salvage.

MAHS Today

Throughout these thirty-eight years, MAHS has been devoted to the exploration of historic shipwrecks and the documentation of maritime sites in support of International and U.S. shipwreck inventories.  Perhaps the greatest impact of MAHS, however, has been its education programs which introduce recreational scuba divers to the science and techniques of maritime archaeology and prepares them to participate as effective members of the underwater archaeology team.  The value in these programs has become clearly evident in the growing community response over the years to the protection and preservation of historic shipwrecks and other submerged cultural resources.  The ethical standards that MAHS brings to all projects and programs have resulted in a substantial contribution to the preservation of the fragile submerged cultural resources, both of our nation and others, so that they remain protected for generations to enjoy and explore in the years to come.

Categorised in: Deep Thoughts

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