The Poole Iron Age logboat, one of the largest surviving prehistoric watercraft in Britain, is today imposingly displayed in the entrance to Poole Museum in Dorset. However, the vessel faced a difficult journey from its first discovery to the amazing artefact we can now see. Recovered from Poole Harbour in 1964, it is impossible to overestimate the international significance of this vessel. But until now it had never been fully recorded and apart from its impressive size, very little was known about it. Its dimensions made it inherently unstable and suggest it was designed for use solely in Poole Harbour. This book is the culmination of significant multi-disciplinary work carried out by a variety of specialists, from conservators to woodworking and boatbuilding experts, exploring not only the craft's history but also its functionality - or lack of - as a vessel. Digital recording, using the latest technology, has made it possible to test its capabilities. For the first time, prehistorians, nautical archaeologists and lay people alike can understand the story of one of Britain's oldest boats - the archaeological and historical background, the environmental context, the timber and ship science, and the challenges of conserving such an important vessel.

About the Author
JESSICA BERRY is an award-winning maritime archaeologist, a diver, and founder and CEO of MAST. She is a maritime archaeologist MA (Hons) MA ACIfA and a former journalist with UK broadsheets. Since completing her Masters at Flinders University in Australia, she has worked on a number of major maritime archaeological projects both in the UK and internationally whilst growing and developing MAST into an internationally respected organisation that is changing the ways in which underwater cultural heritage is perceived and how it can be better protected. | DAVID PARHAM is a Professor in Maritime Archaeology at Bournemouth University. He is an experienced archaeologist and diver / diving supervisor who has directed maritime archaeological projects that range in date from the Bronze Age to the Second World War and in scope from strategic studies to extensive field investigations. He has worked extensively throughout the British Isles as well as the Baltic, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, South China Sea and Arabian Sea. His research interests focus on the archaeology of seafaring and ship construction of all periods but can extend into underwater cultural heritage management on occasions. | CATRINA APPLEBY has been working in archaeology for 40 years. She studied at Durham and Birmingham universities and has wide experience in many types of archaeology, from excavation and field survey to HERs and planning. She has worked for a variety of organisations in England and Scotland. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists. For the past 20 years her work has focused on editing archaeological and heritage publications, including nine years as the Publications Manager for the Council for British Archaeology, during which time CBA titles won several awards. She now works as a freelance editor for a number of publishers.


Book Information
ISBN 9781789691443
Author Jessica Berry
Format Paperback
Page Count 138
Imprint Archaeopress
Publisher Archaeopress
Weight(grams) 502g
Dimensions(mm) 290mm * 205mm * 10mm