16th International Symposium on Boat & Ship Archaeology

67 Zadar, Croatia | 26 September – 1 October 2021 Nigel Nayling University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Lampeter Campus, Ceredigion, UK Tradition and Revolution? A Personal Reflection Based on an archaeological career spanning almost 50 years, this paper seeks to reflect on the central theme of this ISBSA conference and consider how over the last half-century archaeological methods of documentation and analysis, par- ticularly within the sphere of nautical archaeology, have undergone considera- ble adaptation and, in the last 20 years, arguably, a digital revolution. This paper takes an unashamedly personal perspective drawing on the author’s archaeolog- ical experience including terrestrial excavations in the coastal province of Corn- wall in his teens, the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland; Salango in the coastal province of Manabi, Ecuador, excavation and specialist engagement with the Roman and later port and City of London, review of waterlogged timber documentation undertaken in the late 1980’s for whole of the United Kingdom, and decades of research and rescue excavation in that most productive of coast- al zones, the Severn Estuary (Barland’s Farm, Caldicot, Magor Pill, Newport). As a specialist and advisor, direct involvement in more recent nautical excavation and post-excavation projects has focused on medieval (Aberwr’ach , Doel Cogs, Mortar Wreck, Newport) and early modern shipwrecks (Belinho 1, Drogheda, Emanuel Point II and III, Gresham (Prince’s Channel), Highbourne Cay, Invincible, Mortella III, Ribadeo, Sea Venture , Swash Channel, Yarmouth Roads). The inten- tion is, through reflection on this personal research journey, to consider some of the core questions which the conference theme seeks to address and contribute towards their debate. What are the key research questions in nautical archaeol- ogy? Have these remained constant or have they developed as our sub-discipline has matured? Does a “tradition” really exist within nautical archaeology and has there been a revolution which threatens it? What new opportunities or ‘threats’ lie on the maritime horizon in terms of methodological, technological or theoret- ical developments?