Two Portuguese naus from Vasco da Gama's second voyage to India, left behind to disrupt maritime trade between India and the Red Sea, were wrecked in May 1503 off the north-eastern coast of Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman. The ships, Esmeralda and São Pedro, had been commanded by da Gama's maternal uncles, Vicente and Brás Sodré, respectively. A detailed study and scientific analysis of an artefact assemblage recovered during archaeological excavations conducted in Al Hallaniyah in 2013 and 2014 confirms the location of an early 16th-century Portuguese wreck-site, initially discovered in 1998. Esmeralda is proposed as the probable source of the remaining, un-salved wreckage.

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The need to protect underwater cultural heritage from biodegradation is paramount, however with many sites needing funding and support, it is hard to prioritise, thus the ability to identify high risk sites is crucial to ensure resources are best placed. In doing so a clear understanding of environmental conditions acting upon a site and abundance and composition of species present is essential to this identification. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the rate of biodegradation on four underwater cultural heritage sites in different marine environments by placing a series of wooden test panels in direct contact with the exposed structure on the sites. Upon recovery, test panels were photographed, X-rayed, and wood boring and sessile fouling species were identified and counted. The damage attributed to each species was recorded with CAD software. Results indicated a significant difference between sites, with HMS Invincible having the highest abundance of marine wood borers and the highest rate of surface area and volume degradation; whilst vestigial evidence of marine wood borers was found on the London, it would appear the environmental conditions had significantly impeded their survival. The study indicated further factors such as sediment type and coverage, availability of wood and the proximity of other colonised sites were also determining factors controlling the abundance of marine wood borers and the rate of biodegradation.

This paper draws on experience gained by Bournemouth University to consider undergraduate education in maritime archaeology. At Bournemouth maritime archaeology is taught firmly in the context of a broader archaeological education. Archaeological programmes vary with the institutions within which they are taught, each programme thus having an individual character that separates it from that of other institutions and further enriches the subject through the breadth of this education. At Bournemouth the value of teaching archaeology with a high component of practical experience has been long understood. This does not mean that archaeology is taught as a purely practical subject but as one within which experience in the field is seen as a worthwhile focus. Bournemouth's programme therefore recognises the value of field research projects as learning environments for undergraduates studying maritime archaeology. The programme is subject to a number of constraints, notably the size of the archaeological employment market, levels of pay within that market, questions of ongoing professional development after graduation, and the requirements of other employment markets into which archaeological graduates enter. This paper argues that research project-based learning, and in particular, involvement with amateur groups, provides a way to balance these constraints and supports development of both technical and transferable 'soft' skills.

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