Using innovative forensic markers to safeguard maritime artefacts
English shipwrecks, submerged for centuries off the coast, hold the secrets of history in the form of artefacts like cannons. However, organised looting poses a significant threat.
To counter this, Historic England and British specialist contractor MSDS Marine have embarked on a ground-breaking project involving underwater forensic tagging technology. This technology, developed over eight years, traces its roots to methods used to protect heritage assets on land. It is applied directly to the marine artefacts and wrecks by divers, and had been trialled on dives this summer.