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CAPT. KIDD SHIPWRECK SITE TO BE DEDICATED 'LIVING MUSEUM OF THE SEA' BY INDIANA UNIVERSITY
States News Service
May 2, 2011 Monday
The following information was released by Indiana University -
Bloomington:
Nearly three years after the discovery of the shipwreck Quedagh
Merchant, abandoned by the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain
William Kidd, the underwater site will be dedicated as a "Living Museum
of the Sea" by Indiana University, IU researcher and archeologist
Charles Beeker, and the government of the Dominican Republic.
The dedication as an official underwater museum will take place off the
shore of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic on May 23, the 310th
anniversary of Kidd's hanging in London for his 'crimes of piracy.'
Historic Marker buoy and snorkel divers above the 1699 Captain Kidd
shipwreck
Print-Quality Photo
The dedication will note both underwater and above-ground interpretive
plaques. The underwater plaques will help guide divers around the Kidd
site as well as relics and rare corals at two other shipwreck sites.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded IU
$200,000 to turn the Captain Kidd shipwreck site and two nearby
existing underwater preserves into no-take, no-anchor "Living Museums
of the Sea," where cultural discoveries will protect precious corals
and other threatened biodiversity in the surrounding reef systems,
under the supervision and support of the Dominican Republic's
Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuatico (ONPCS). USAID
has since extended its support by a year, increasing the funding
award to $300,000.
The Underwater Science team from the IU School of Health, Physical
Education and Recreation (HPER), led by Beeker, has been working to
preserve, analyze and document the Kidd shipwreck since its surprising
discovery, which made headlines around the world. This unique museum,
resting in less than 10 feet of water just 70 feet from shore, will
give divers the opportunity to see the 17th century ship remains,
including several anchors, along with dozens of cannons, which rest on
the ocean's floor and serve as home to coral and sea creatures. Above
water, several more traditional museums will benefit from artifacts
that are on loan to IU by the Dominican Republic government for the
purpose of study and research.
"As this ongoing multidisciplinary research continues," Beeker said,
"interest in the project has grown and new partnerships are developing,
including the Peace Corps assigning their volunteers to the project,
and the Consorcio Dominicano de Competitividad Turistica promoting
the project as a sustainable tourism destination."
As the interest in eco-tourism and unique vacation destinations
continues to grow, this Living Museum of the Sea is predicted to be
a sought-after destination for those seeking underwater adventures
combined with significant 17th century maritime history representative
of the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean.
Beeker said it was remarkable that the wreck had remained undiscovered
all these years given its location, just 70 feet off the coast of
Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, and because it has been
actively sought by treasure hunters.
Scientific diver completing coral restoration of Eedangered elkhorn
coral (Acropora palmata)
Print-Quality Photo
"Since the site's discovery, we have worked with government officials,
Indiana University partners and museums to preserve this site,
the artifacts contained there and to use it all for research and
scientific study," said Beeker, a pioneer in underwater museums
and preserves. "We have diligently protected this site, and now we
are able to share the importance of the Armenian-owned 1699 Quedagh
Merchant (which was captured by Kidd off the west coast of India)
with students at Indiana University as well as with the public at
exhibits at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the British
Museum of Docklands London."
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis helped bring one of the most
fascinating underwater mysteries in years to visitors in its new
permanent exhibit, National Geographic Treasures of the Earth. Charles
Beeker was authorized by Dominican Republic authorities to bring the
only cannon recovered from the shipwreck to The Children's Museum for
five years of study and conservation. The Children's Museum and Beeker
received a $1 million grant from Eli Lilly and Company Foundation
to support this project and to search for and recover artifacts from
other historically significant ships that are believed to be in the
Caribbean, with this including the ongoing search for the Lost Fleet
of Christopher Columbus.
Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children's Museum of
Indianapolis, said the popular museum and IU have similar interests,
to bring fascinating discoveries to the public.
"Our intent was to develop the most authentic experience possible --
to bring real archaeological sites, real science, real artifacts
and real experts to our visitors. These extraordinary experiences
truly have the power to inspire and transform the lives of children
through family learning," he said. "We're eager to explore future
opportunities with IU's team of experts in the search for other
historically significant ships in the Caribbean."
Other significant artifacts to be displayed at The Children's Museum
include Ming dynasty plates and statues, diamond and gold jewelry,
gold and silver coins, cannonballs and other antiquities, which have
been preserved for centuries in the Caribbean waters.
The British Museum of Docklands London has an exhibit featuring the
story of Captain Kidd, and a live show depicting Kidd and his travels
as one of history's most notorious pirates. The museum will have a
special event in coordination with the underwater museum dedication,
honoring the 310th anniversary of Kidd's execution.
Historians differ on whether Kidd was actually a pirate or a privateer
-- someone who captured pirates. After his conviction of piracy and
murder charges in a sensational London trial, he was left to hang
over the River Thames for two years as a warning to other pirates.
Plaques such as this will be placed both underwater and on land,
where they will be attached to cannon monuments
Print-Quality Photo
Historians write that Kidd captured the Quedagh Merchant, loaded
with valuable satins and silks, gold, silver and other East Indian
merchandise, but left the ship in the Caribbean as he sailed to New
York on a less conspicuous sloop to clear his name of the criminal
charges.
Anthropologist Geoffrey Conrad, director of IU Bloomington's Mathers
Museum of World Cultures, said the men Kidd entrusted with his ship
reportedly looted it, and then set it ablaze and adrift down the Rio
Dulce. Conrad said the location of the wreckage and the formation and
size of the canons, which had been used as ballast, are consistent
with historical records of the ship. They also found pieces of several
anchors under the cannons.
"All the evidence that we find underwater is consistent with what we
know from historical documentation, which is extensive," Conrad said.
"Through rigorous archeological investigations, we have conclusively
proven that this is the Captain Kidd shipwreck."
The IU research in the Dominican Republic typically involves
professors and graduate students from various IU Bloomington schools
and departments, including the School of HPER, the School of Public
and Environmental Affairs, and the departments of anthropology,
biology, geological sciences and mathematics in the College of Arts
and Sciences.
"The archeological work being done by IU in the Dominican Republic
affords us tremendous entree for wider areas of collaboration,"
said School of HPER Interim Dean Mo R. Torabi.
Since the discovery, Beeker has met with and given presentations
to research experts in London, Armenia and Washington, D.C., and
the interest continues to spread because of the complex trading and
exploration channels that existed in the 17th century.
For more than 20 years, Beeker and his students have conducted
underwater research projects on submerged ships, cargo and other
cultural and biological resources throughout the United States and
the Caribbean. Many of his research projects have resulted in the
establishment of state or federal underwater parks and preserves,
and have led to a number of site nominations to the National Register
of Historic Places.
Beeker, who has been conducting research in the Dominican Republic for
nearly 20 years, was asked to examine the shipwreck in 2007 while on
another research mission involving the search for Christopher Columbus'
lost ships. Beeker and Conrad have been exploring the era when the
New and Old Worlds first met, focusing on the area of La Isabela Bay,
the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement established by
Columbus in 1494.
Beeker recently served four years on the Marine Protected Areas
Federal Advisory Committee for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. To learn more about the Underwater Science program
visit http://www.indiana.edu/~scuba.
School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and
Recreation (HPER), founded in 1946, encompasses a broad spectrum
of academic interests and professional fields. HPER offers 43
undergraduate, 23 graduate and 22 minor degree programs through
the departments of Environmental Health, Applied Health Science,
Kinesiology and Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies.
From: A. Papazian
States News Service
May 2, 2011 Monday
The following information was released by Indiana University -
Bloomington:
Nearly three years after the discovery of the shipwreck Quedagh
Merchant, abandoned by the scandalous 17th century pirate Captain
William Kidd, the underwater site will be dedicated as a "Living Museum
of the Sea" by Indiana University, IU researcher and archeologist
Charles Beeker, and the government of the Dominican Republic.
The dedication as an official underwater museum will take place off the
shore of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic on May 23, the 310th
anniversary of Kidd's hanging in London for his 'crimes of piracy.'
Historic Marker buoy and snorkel divers above the 1699 Captain Kidd
shipwreck
Print-Quality Photo
The dedication will note both underwater and above-ground interpretive
plaques. The underwater plaques will help guide divers around the Kidd
site as well as relics and rare corals at two other shipwreck sites.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded IU
$200,000 to turn the Captain Kidd shipwreck site and two nearby
existing underwater preserves into no-take, no-anchor "Living Museums
of the Sea," where cultural discoveries will protect precious corals
and other threatened biodiversity in the surrounding reef systems,
under the supervision and support of the Dominican Republic's
Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultural Subacuatico (ONPCS). USAID
has since extended its support by a year, increasing the funding
award to $300,000.
The Underwater Science team from the IU School of Health, Physical
Education and Recreation (HPER), led by Beeker, has been working to
preserve, analyze and document the Kidd shipwreck since its surprising
discovery, which made headlines around the world. This unique museum,
resting in less than 10 feet of water just 70 feet from shore, will
give divers the opportunity to see the 17th century ship remains,
including several anchors, along with dozens of cannons, which rest on
the ocean's floor and serve as home to coral and sea creatures. Above
water, several more traditional museums will benefit from artifacts
that are on loan to IU by the Dominican Republic government for the
purpose of study and research.
"As this ongoing multidisciplinary research continues," Beeker said,
"interest in the project has grown and new partnerships are developing,
including the Peace Corps assigning their volunteers to the project,
and the Consorcio Dominicano de Competitividad Turistica promoting
the project as a sustainable tourism destination."
As the interest in eco-tourism and unique vacation destinations
continues to grow, this Living Museum of the Sea is predicted to be
a sought-after destination for those seeking underwater adventures
combined with significant 17th century maritime history representative
of the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean.
Beeker said it was remarkable that the wreck had remained undiscovered
all these years given its location, just 70 feet off the coast of
Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic, and because it has been
actively sought by treasure hunters.
Scientific diver completing coral restoration of Eedangered elkhorn
coral (Acropora palmata)
Print-Quality Photo
"Since the site's discovery, we have worked with government officials,
Indiana University partners and museums to preserve this site,
the artifacts contained there and to use it all for research and
scientific study," said Beeker, a pioneer in underwater museums
and preserves. "We have diligently protected this site, and now we
are able to share the importance of the Armenian-owned 1699 Quedagh
Merchant (which was captured by Kidd off the west coast of India)
with students at Indiana University as well as with the public at
exhibits at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the British
Museum of Docklands London."
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis helped bring one of the most
fascinating underwater mysteries in years to visitors in its new
permanent exhibit, National Geographic Treasures of the Earth. Charles
Beeker was authorized by Dominican Republic authorities to bring the
only cannon recovered from the shipwreck to The Children's Museum for
five years of study and conservation. The Children's Museum and Beeker
received a $1 million grant from Eli Lilly and Company Foundation
to support this project and to search for and recover artifacts from
other historically significant ships that are believed to be in the
Caribbean, with this including the ongoing search for the Lost Fleet
of Christopher Columbus.
Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children's Museum of
Indianapolis, said the popular museum and IU have similar interests,
to bring fascinating discoveries to the public.
"Our intent was to develop the most authentic experience possible --
to bring real archaeological sites, real science, real artifacts
and real experts to our visitors. These extraordinary experiences
truly have the power to inspire and transform the lives of children
through family learning," he said. "We're eager to explore future
opportunities with IU's team of experts in the search for other
historically significant ships in the Caribbean."
Other significant artifacts to be displayed at The Children's Museum
include Ming dynasty plates and statues, diamond and gold jewelry,
gold and silver coins, cannonballs and other antiquities, which have
been preserved for centuries in the Caribbean waters.
The British Museum of Docklands London has an exhibit featuring the
story of Captain Kidd, and a live show depicting Kidd and his travels
as one of history's most notorious pirates. The museum will have a
special event in coordination with the underwater museum dedication,
honoring the 310th anniversary of Kidd's execution.
Historians differ on whether Kidd was actually a pirate or a privateer
-- someone who captured pirates. After his conviction of piracy and
murder charges in a sensational London trial, he was left to hang
over the River Thames for two years as a warning to other pirates.
Plaques such as this will be placed both underwater and on land,
where they will be attached to cannon monuments
Print-Quality Photo
Historians write that Kidd captured the Quedagh Merchant, loaded
with valuable satins and silks, gold, silver and other East Indian
merchandise, but left the ship in the Caribbean as he sailed to New
York on a less conspicuous sloop to clear his name of the criminal
charges.
Anthropologist Geoffrey Conrad, director of IU Bloomington's Mathers
Museum of World Cultures, said the men Kidd entrusted with his ship
reportedly looted it, and then set it ablaze and adrift down the Rio
Dulce. Conrad said the location of the wreckage and the formation and
size of the canons, which had been used as ballast, are consistent
with historical records of the ship. They also found pieces of several
anchors under the cannons.
"All the evidence that we find underwater is consistent with what we
know from historical documentation, which is extensive," Conrad said.
"Through rigorous archeological investigations, we have conclusively
proven that this is the Captain Kidd shipwreck."
The IU research in the Dominican Republic typically involves
professors and graduate students from various IU Bloomington schools
and departments, including the School of HPER, the School of Public
and Environmental Affairs, and the departments of anthropology,
biology, geological sciences and mathematics in the College of Arts
and Sciences.
"The archeological work being done by IU in the Dominican Republic
affords us tremendous entree for wider areas of collaboration,"
said School of HPER Interim Dean Mo R. Torabi.
Since the discovery, Beeker has met with and given presentations
to research experts in London, Armenia and Washington, D.C., and
the interest continues to spread because of the complex trading and
exploration channels that existed in the 17th century.
For more than 20 years, Beeker and his students have conducted
underwater research projects on submerged ships, cargo and other
cultural and biological resources throughout the United States and
the Caribbean. Many of his research projects have resulted in the
establishment of state or federal underwater parks and preserves,
and have led to a number of site nominations to the National Register
of Historic Places.
Beeker, who has been conducting research in the Dominican Republic for
nearly 20 years, was asked to examine the shipwreck in 2007 while on
another research mission involving the search for Christopher Columbus'
lost ships. Beeker and Conrad have been exploring the era when the
New and Old Worlds first met, focusing on the area of La Isabela Bay,
the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement established by
Columbus in 1494.
Beeker recently served four years on the Marine Protected Areas
Federal Advisory Committee for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. To learn more about the Underwater Science program
visit http://www.indiana.edu/~scuba.
School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and
Recreation (HPER), founded in 1946, encompasses a broad spectrum
of academic interests and professional fields. HPER offers 43
undergraduate, 23 graduate and 22 minor degree programs through
the departments of Environmental Health, Applied Health Science,
Kinesiology and Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies.
From: A. Papazian