{ Photograph by Charles Dagneau for Parks Canada. }
News broke this morning of Parks Canada’s 2022 archaeology season (link to press release). Highlights:
• 275 artifacts recovered from HMS Erebus. “56 individual dives over the course of 11 days.”• “...excavation of what could be the Second Lieutenant’s cabin, continued the excavation of what is believed to be the Third Lieutenant’s cabin, and completed excavation of part of the Captain’s Steward’s pantry.”• On HMS Terror: “The wreck of HMS Terror was not visited in 2022 due to timing and logistical constraints.”• On potential damage/changes to HMS Erebus: “The 2022 fieldwork confirmed that physical changes to the wreck of HMS Erebus continue, most likely due to waves generated by wind storms.”
Update, December 18th, 2022.
It has now been further reported that paper in a folio was recovered from the Steward's Pantry on HMS Erebus (link to CBC report). This is the first time paper has been recovered from the wrecks. If there is anything written, it will be the first expedition writing recovered since 1859 (with a notable exception for the coffin plates of Torrington and Braine in the 1980s). Also found: a green box of drafting tools and an eyeglass lens.
Photography:
{ Photograph by Charles Dagneau for Parks Canada. }
Parks Canada Underwater Archaeologist entering the water from the barge Qiniqtirjuaq for a surface-supply dive to the wreck of HMS Erebus, with the RV David Thompson in the background, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Malaya Bishop for Parks Canada. }
Research Assistant Jonathan Puqiqnak carefully rinses a bottle recovered from HMS Erebus on the Parks Canada barge Qiniqtirjuaq, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Charles Dagneau for Parks Canada. }
Condiment bottle sampling by Parks Canada Research Assistant Jonathan Puqiqnak in the lab on the barge Qiniqtirjuaq, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Charles Dagneau for Parks Canada. }
Bottle recovered from HMS Erebus filled with an unidentified food condiment, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Charles Dagneau for Parks Canada. }
Lieutenant's epaulettes excavated from a furniture drawer in an officer's cabin of HMS Erebus, after having been raised to the lab on the barge Qiniqtirjuaq, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Jonathan Moore for Parks Canada. }
Parks Canada Research Assistant Jonathan Puqiqnak at the artifact washing station on the barge Qiniqtirjuaq cleaning an officer's cabin corner shelf recovered from HMS Erebus, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Marc-André Bernier for Parks Canada. }
Parks Canada Underwater Archaeologist examines a belaying pin on the upper deck of HMS Erebus, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Marc-André Bernier for Parks Canada. }
Parks Canada Underwater Archaeologist Jonathan Moore observes a washing basin and an officer's bedplace on the lower deck of HMS Erebus, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Marc-André Bernier for Parks Canada. }
Excavation of a furniture drawer in an officer's cabin by a Parks Canada underwater archaeologist, HMS Erebus lower deck, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Marc-André Bernier for Parks Canada. }
Excavation of a furniture drawer in an officer's cabin by a Parks Canada underwater archaeologist, HMS Erebus lower deck, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Charles Dagneau for Parks Canada. }
Excavation of a furniture drawer in an officer's cabin by a Parks Canada underwater archaeologist, HMS Erebus lower deck, September 2022.
{ Photograph by Thierry Boyer for Parks Canada. }
Inuit Guardians and Parks Canada Underwater Archaeology Team members at the end of the April/May project at HMS Erebus, May 2022.
The End.
– L.Z. December 9, 2022.