Project organisation HUMA project Advisory committee Länsstyrelsen, Länsmuseet, Södertörn högskola, Nord Stream Head of project AquaArkeologen Communication & coordination Hill & Knowlton Sweden and Ramboll Historical background Alexej Smirnov Sponsor Nord Stream
HUMA Project The field work is made by AquaArkeologen in cooperation with: Gotlands Havsgille (divers and land crew) Students from Södertörn Högskola (Sweden) and University of Southern Denmark. Volounteer divers (min. PADI Rescue, CMAS 2*)
Project description The project period is sept. 2007 to december 2008 and includes the following: Conservation of recovered artefacts Reports will be made for the authorities Popular scientific documentation and articles A casing for the cannon at the Länsmuseet A full scale replica of the recovered 16th century wrought iron cannon will be made A book about the Nordic Seven Year War
Illustration of the cannon type
The horrible night 1566 What happened? The Nordic Seven Years War Battle against Sweden north of Öland Anchored at Visby road stead for funeral July 28th 1566 39 ships anchored outside Visby 12 Danish & 3 Lübeck ships sank 5000-7000 persons drowned Recoveries Interpretation of the disaster by Erik Olsson, Sanda Gotland.
Previous investigations Brissund (1980 s) More than 200 silver coins, a cannon, a silver dagger handle and a boatswain s call from the admiral ship Josua Kopparsvik (1960 s) Amongst others a silver spoon engraved with the initials of the commander of the ship Hannibal
Other interestings finds have been made Brusviken (1990 s) Lead bullets and other artefacts Almedalen (ca 2000) Amongst others a tap for barrels and cannon balls
Survey of Visby road stead During 2006 Visby road stead was surveyed by side scan sonar Franklin 2007 ( Vrakletarna )
Starting the HUMA project Project plan, time schedule and budget 1. Conserve finds from previous excavations 2. Recover the cannon found at Brissund (Krusmyntagården) 3. Continue investigations
Finds from previous excavations are collected, documented and send for conservation
The cannon had moved 5 meters since it was last documented 20 years ago
Documentation under water
The conservations studio (SVK) takes samples of the cannon
The lifting device is attached to the cannon
Towing the cannon to Visby Harbour
Lifting the cannon
The cannon is transferred to the transport case
The iron rings and the muzzle are clearly visible
Soaking and wrapping before transport to Gothenburg
Welcome back in 4-5 years
At the conservation studio (SVK) in Gothenburg
The iron oxide crust is removed and remains of rope are found inside
3D laserscanning by Ramboll before conservation
Visible details after the iron oxide crust has been removed
Separating the cannon and the wooden bed
Wedges have been inserted to separate the two parts of the cannon
After the second 3D scanning
Opening of the exhibition The awful night 1566 The artefacts are being studied carefully Silver dagger, with reconstructed blade (Brissund) Cartridges and other projectiles The boatswains call (Brissund) The silver spoon with initials (Kopparsvik), German silver coins (Brissund)
Summer 2008 Dive and event sites Krusmyntagården rden/brissund Dive site Cannon event Accommodation for divers Brusviken Dive site Almedalen/ Gun Powder Tower Journalist event Dive site Kopparsvik Journalist event Dive site
Methods 1. Inventory Side scan sonar Line- or circel searches with metal detector 2. Test pits 3. Excavation Squares (5x5 m) Layer 1=0-50 cm stratigraphy sand/gravel Layer 2=51 cm - bedrock Measuring by totalstation & GPS Excavations with tools and ejector suction Sediments through netting (1x1 cm)
What is recovered and what is not? Budget for conservation Precious metals: gold, silver and alloys such as bronze Bone, leather and rope Tree and iron
Site 1: Kopparsvik Week 21-24 (+ event on June 12 th )
Site 2: Krusmyntagården rden Week 27-31 (+ event on June 12 th 2008) Location for information board and possibly the cannon replica Accommodation for divers Office and room for equipment
Site 3: 3: Almedalen / The Gunpowder Tower Week 28 (Almedalsveckan) Dive site and information booth
Site 4: Brusviken Week 31-34 (35) Accommodation at Krusmyntagården Krusmynta Site 4
Questions? Aquaarkeologen@telia.com For more information: www.humagotland.com Sponsor: Nord Stream