Our sinking river heritage
What future for underwater archaeological sites in Hungary?
MúzeumCafé 22.
Winning a support of more than 22 million forints for the period 2009-2011 announced by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA) and the Norwegian Fund has been a most important step forward. The Argonaut Project has as its aim the interdisciplinary archaeological mapping of the River Dráva Valley. The overland and underwater archaeological mapping of a larger sample area (between Drávatamási and Szentborbás) is included in the plan alongside geological surveys such as settling analysis and geomorphology. The chosen area along the River Dráva so far has been a blank spot for both archaeologists and geologists. Forecasting the behaviour of river systems which are becoming unstable due to climate change is one of the main challenges at present. In the framework of the project surveys involving instruments and diving have been conducted in the Dráva. As a result, new finds have been discovered at the Drávatamási site. One important aspect is that log boats have been dated with the help of dendrochronological analysis of the boat finds. The analysis supports the hypothesis that the more than 30 log boats represent remains of an Ottoman bridge destroyed in 1603. Thus it was possible to record the boats on film. The traces of contemporary repairs have been found on a newly discovered boat. This represents an important detail of Ottoman shipbuilding. Unfortunately the Argonaut Project has helped to survey only a single underwater site, though in international terms it is undoubtedly significant. However, the national situation is more alarming. There is still no responsible institution in the field of state heritage protection which would be in charge of underwater archaeological heritage (beyond the scope of archaeology).