Nowhere else in the world are there so many well-preserved wooden wrecks as in the Baltic Sea. Photo: Jim Hansson, Vrak – Museum of Wrecks/SMTM.
The Atlas module of the program investigates and maps all major vessels of the Swedish navy circa 1450–1850. What happened after the ships were no longer used in the navy? Where and how were they discarded? The module creates the basis for large part of the remaining program.
For a limited number of vessels there is a large amount of information available, but in most cases, the knowledge is so far limited. Due to the special conditions of the Baltic Sea, the preserved wrecks and fragments of the Swedish navy make up a world unique archaeological and historical source material.
The Atlas module will make an inventory covering all known 785 ships of the “Lost navy” and produce the results in a database. Information is gathered with a focus on material remains of ships and what happened to them after they were discarded – their “afterlife” – but also their current condition and locations.
The Atlas module of the program will run 2021–2024.
Project leader
Jim Hansson, project leader and maritime archaeologist, The National Maritime and Transport Museums
E-mail: Jim.hansson@smtm.se
Assistant project leader
Patrik Höglund, maritime archaeologist, The National Maritime and Transport Museums
Participants
Mikael Fredholm and Håkan Altrock, maritime archaeologists, The National Maritime and Transport Museums