Schleswig, Germany
+49 (0)151 5054 6144
d.zwick@archaeologia-navalis.org

Upcoming talks

DateVenueEventStatusMy contribution (title and abstract)
4.-5.2.2022Jarplund (Germany)19th Arkæologi i Slesvig / Archäologie in Schleswig acceptedSchiffwracks im Nordfriesischen Wattenmeer: Zum Stand der aktuellen Forschungn

English summary: Between 2016 and 2020 four new shipwrecks were discovered in the North Frisian Wadden Sea as a result of coastal erosion. All wrecksites are located in the intertidal zone, i.e. on  Hörnum Odde (island of Sylt), as well as the outer shoals of Japsand and Süderoogsand, which form part of the North Frisian barrier islands and have been navigation hazards since time immemorial. The investigated wrecks date between the 17th and 18th centuries. Some remarkable constructional features could be observed, which allow inferences on the wrecks‘ origins and shipbuilding traditions. Two of the wrecks feature double-planking carried out in the characteristic Dutch-style shell-first technique that was – until recently – regarded as a fleeting and rare phenomenon of the late 16th and early 17th century, but based on these new discoveries, this peculiar construction can now be traced to the mid-18th century. In general, the North Frisian Wadden Sea was a heavily Dutch-influenced area, which finds not only expression in the majority of shipwrecks, but also the maritime culture of the islands. Another aspect worth noting in the context of shipwreck research in the intertidal zone is the involvement of enthusiastic local citizens, who facilitate the work of the archaeologists in these remote areas with vital logistical support and knowledge of the local environment. This highlights the public responsibility of archaeologists to involve and share their knowledge with the local community. This paper will provide an overview of shipwrecks hitherto investigated and an update on new research results.
16.-22.5.2022Pula (Croatia)In Poseidon’s Realm XXVII – Maritime landscapesacceptedIn the maelstrom of history: The wrecks of the North Frisian Wadden Sea

Within the last few years several unknown shipwrecks from the 17th-18th century were discovered in Schleswig-Holstein’s Wadden Sea as a consequence of coastal erosion. The Wadden Sea is a maritime landscape subject to constant change. Tidal currents change, and thus erosion and deposition patterns, coastlines, while tidal creeks are meandering like snakes across tidal mudflats, exposing new wrecks and swallowing them shortly thereafter. The window of opportunity to study wrecks in greater detail is slim to none. If discovered, there is not much time left until wrecks are either silted in again or reclaimed by the sea and washed away. Nonetheless, it was possible to wrest some secrets from the new wrecksites in recent archaeological fieldwork campaigns. This paper presents some interim results, in which also the historical context of these discoveries is highlighted, combining a regional and global perspective. The maritime landscape encompasses not only the tidal mudflats that are flooded with each incoming tide, but also the terrestrial inhabitated areas. The maritime influence is omnipresent in the homes of coastal and island communities, in which decors and objects of everyday life are expressions of a distinctive Frisian maritime culture.
6.-10.06.2022Helsinki (Finland)7th In­ter­na­tional Con­gress for Un­der­wa­ter Ar­chae­ology postponed to 2022 due to Covid-19Integrating the Maritime Cultural Heritage in Spatial Planning: A BalticRIM-Project interim report

In October 2017, the Interreg-funded BalticRIM-Project (acronym for Baltic Sea Region Integrated Maritime Cultural Heritage Management) was launched by 13 project partners from Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Russia under the lead partnership of the State Archaeology Department of Schleswig-Holstein (ALSH). The principal aim of this project is to designate areas of high archaeological significance on the seafloor and the coast for inclusion in maritime spatial plans in order to saveguard a sustainable in situ protection and management. A secondary aim is to support the ‘Blue Growth’ and ‘Multi-Use’ initiatives by seeking synergies with other stakeholders. New ideas of how the valorisation of the maritime and underwater cultural heritage can be enhanced by public participation are explored in pilot management areas and transboundary cooperations. This presentation will outline the implementation strategy in the light of the statutory framework, methodology, data availability, and cross-sectoral cooperation. Moreover, tangible examples and interim results of various BalticRIM-initiatives shall be showcased.
18.-20.11.2022Hamburg (Germany)Shipwrecks in the Intertidal Zone in planning (I am co-organiser and speaker)The Riddle of the Shifting Sands: The historic shipwrecks of the North Frisian Wadden Sea exposed by coastal erosion