underwaterexploration

Discovering Cartagena

More Articles By Phillip Bruce www.raxomnium.com

Cartagena Leads In Underwater Exploration

Cartagena continues to play the leading role in Spain in the investigation and conservation of the country’s underwater history.

Visitors taking a stroll along the waterfront will see a new building rising just beyond the mounted submarine. This is the new home of the national underwater archaeology museum.

The full name is the National Museum of Maritime Archaeology and National Centre of Underwater Archaeology in Cartagena, which is quite a mouthful. Professionals refer to by the acronym MNAM-CNIAS.

Cartagena has always had a prime position in underwater exploration in Spain and the new museum and centre will be a fine addition to the city’s waterfront.

The city’s role really began to develop back in 1982 when the first museum opened. This is still operating today, but it’s almost impossible to find unless you have an experience guide as it is at the far right of the harbour and has to be accessed behind the Arsenal and shipyard. The building is small and only a tiny fraction of the collection can be displayed. A life-size mockup of an ancient trading vessel is interesting, packed with the amphorae that carried wine and garum, a fish paste widely used in cooking. There are also Roman stone anchors and ingots of lead from the mines of the Sierra Minera, to the east of Cartagena, that produced so much wealth in the pastUnless you are a real enthusiast, however, it is probably better to wait for the opening of the new museum, which is predicted for the end of 2007. The project has had its share of controversy. The original design was prepared by noted architect Guillermo Vázquez-Consuegra and this drew such interest that it was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The foundation stone was laid in January, 2002. However, since then changes have had to be made to take account of ground conditions, technical requirements and other factors.

The new museum will cover about 6 000 square metres with about 40 per cent of the space dedicated to exhibitions. There will be a large area for the permanent display with a large area, of 700 square metres, being available for temporary exhibitions. Education will have a high priority, with plenty of room for courses, training activities and activities for young people.

The museum is more than just a display place for historic items and it has an integral relationship with the mass of work that is going on in Spain in relation to marine archaeology and conservation.

The National Centre of Underwater Archaeology, the last part of the acronym, is very active both in research and exploration, training of professionals, and the development of conservation and preservation techniques. In particular, methods of preserving wood have long been a prime area of study. Most of Spain’s expert archaeological divers have been trained at the centre in Cartagena. Members of the special unit of the Guardia Civil dedicated to the protection of the Spain’s underwater heritage also train there.

One area that is currently unresolved is the stated aim of the new museum to display the two Phoenician trading vessels that have been found in waters of Puerto de Mazarrón. These are the oldest complete vessels ever found anywhere.

It was assumed that they would be the stars of the show at the new Cartagena national facility. However the people of Mazarrón have very different ideas and want the boats to stay in the same place that they have rested for more than 2 000 years. Large iron sculptures of the vessels now dominate the main roundabout leading into Puerto de Mazarrón and any initiatives to move the originals will be fiercely resisted.

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