Forty new underwater archaeological sites discovered on west coast

The Samphire Project has announced the discovery of more than forty underwater archaeological sites found off the west coast of Scotland, as new Crown Estate funding is confirmed.

Project SAMPHIRE (Scottish Atlantic Maritime Past: Heritage, Investigation, Research and Education) is a collaboration between WA Coastal & Marine and the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland. The community archaeology project, supported by The Crown Estate’s Marine Stewardship Project, sees marine archaeologists work with local coastal communities to identify, investigate and record previously unknown sites on the seabed.

NEW FUNDING

The Crown Estate has announced a further £75,000 over two years, allowing the Project SAMPHIRE team to continue their investigations on the west coast until the end of 2015. This takes the total amount to more than £100,000.


Over the last year the SAMPHIRE team has been meeting with local people on the west coast - including harbour masters, coastguards and diving enthusiasts - asking them to share their knowledge of anything interesting or curious beneath the water.  This has led to the discovery of more than 40 archaeological sites including wooden shipwrecks, cannons, ancient anchors, prehistoric fish traps and more recent small fishing vessels. A digital copy of the report has now been released containing a detailed account of the discoveries has been released online.

SAMPHIRE PROJECT FINDS 2013

Some of the most notable sites investigated over 2013 include:

·  A series of metal-hulled shipwrecks near Loch Torridon from the 19th/early 20th centuries

·   Wreckage from a large unidentified 19th century wooden ship wreck near Kinlochbervie Harbour and a similar site at Loch Laxford

·  A ballast mound in the shape of a boat near Lochinver of unknown date

·  Remains of two early 20th century steam drifters on the beaches of the Isle of Lewis and near Applecross

·  A large 17th or early 18th century anchor spotted in the garden of a house near Kinlochbervie which we were subsequently able to trace back to its discovery by a trawlerman who was able to give us coordinates for where it was found and which is thought to indicate a wreck site

·  A Napoleonic cannon on the main street of Shieldaig, well-known to locals but mistakenly thought to be from the Spanish Armada and previously unknown to archaeologists

·  Two World War II flying boats on the seabed near Oban

In 2014 the team plans to work with communities around Oban and the Inner Hebrides but is also asking the public to report any previously unrecorded marine archaeological sites from other parts of Scotland, particularly on the west coast.

For more information, photos, videos and to track the progress of the team through their blog entries visit the project website. This website also allows members of the public to report any suspected marine archaeological sites that they would like help to investigate.

(Main image copyright Wessex Archaeology, diver image copyright Lusakitos, Creative Commons)

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