RPM Nautical Foundation

RPM Nautical Foundation is a non-profit archaeological research organization dedicated to the advancement of nautical archaeological survey and excavation of shipwreck and harbor sites.

The RPM Nautical Foundation is organized to operate exclusively for charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes, all within the meaning of sections 170(c) (2) and 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

The operating purpose of the company is to engage in the detection, identification, study and preservation of nautical archaeological and historic sites for scientific research, public education and the advancement of technology. The organization also provides fieldwork and training experience in the field to students as well as the personnel and staff of various government, cultural and educational institutions.

History

The foundation was established in 2001 by its President, George Robb, who was and continues to serve as a Director for the Institute of Nautical Archaeology.

Institutional Partners

* Albanian Institute of Archaeology
* Archaeological Superintendency of Andalucia
* Cyprus Ministry of Culture
* French Ministry of Culture
* Institute of Nautical Archeology- Texas A&M University
* Malta Ministry of Culture and Tourism
* Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum
* Moroccan Ministry of Culture
* Superintendent of Archaeology, Calabria
* Superintendent of Underwater Archaeology, Sicily
* Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Project History

2001Participated Projects:
* New Ground Reef Survey, Florida;
* Cap Spartel, Morocco;
* Normandy Beach Survey, France

2002Participated Projects:
* Cap Spartel, Morocco;
* New Ground Reef Survey, Florida;
* Key West Approaches, Florida

2003Participated Projects:
* Cap Spartel, Morocco;
* Cartagena Harbor, Spain;
* New Ground Reef Survey, Florida;
* Key West Harbor, Florida;
* Turtle Reef Survey, Florida

Supported Projects:
* Episkopi Bay, Cyprus;
* Locri-Epizipheri, Calabria, Italy;
* Bozburun Wreck Recording, Turkey;
* Thaikkal Wreck Excavation, India;
* Kiten Wreck Excavation, Bulgaria;
* Dashur Boat Examination, Egypt

2004Participated Projects:
* Battle of Trafalgar, Cadiz, Spain;
* Cartagena Harbor, Spain;
* Episkopi Bay, Cyprus;
* Locri-Epizipheri, Calabria, Italy;
* American Shoals Survey, Florida;
* New Ground Reef Survey, Florida

Supported Projects:
* Turtle Reef Survey, Florida;
* Dashur Boat Examination, Egypt

2005Participated Projects:
* Valetta Approaches, Malta;
* Gozo, Malta;
* Sicily Trench, Pantellaria Island, Italy;
* Amalfi Harbor, Amalfi, Italy;
* SE Bozburun Peninsula, Turkey;
* Crotone, Calabria, Italy;
* Egadi Islands, Sicily

Supported Projects:
* Episkopi Bay, Cyprus;
* Dashur Boat Examination, Egypt;
* Kublai Khan Fleet, Japan;
* Monte Cristi Wreck Excavation, Dominican Republic;
* Turtle Reef Survey, Florida

2006Participated Projects:
* SE Bozburun Peninsula-Bodrum Approaches, Turkey;
* Valetta Approaches, Malta;
* Egadi Islands, Sicily;
* Boca Chica Survey, Florida

Supported Projects:
* Episkopi Bay, Cyprus;
* Dashur Boat Examination, Egypt;
* Kublai Khan Fleet, Japan;
* Turtle Reef Survey, Florida

2007Participated Projects:
* Egadi Islands, Sicily;
* Albanian Coastal Survey, Albania

Supported Projects:
* Cape Greco, Cyprus;
* Dashur Boat Examination, Egypt;
* Pantano Longarini Wreck Examination, Sicily

International

RPM performs projects in conjunction with leading research institutes and universities throughout the US and Europe. RPM policy stipulates that all artifacts are under the jurisdiction of the host government at all times. The location and assessment of wrecksites, as well as site and artifact analysis is beneficial to the many governments that RPM works with, as it provides cultural authorities pertinent information for protecting archaeological resources. All research by the foundation is published in leading scholarly journals and summarized on their website (RPM Website [1] ).RPM’s remote sensing and verification methodology has proved successful in the identification, mapping, and recording of shipwreck sites and harbor works from the ancient through modern eras in project conducted to date in Albania, Spain, Malta, Morocco, Cyprus, Sicily, Amalfi and Calabria (Italy), and Turkey. Bathymetric data is also made available to host country hydrographic departments in order to supplement their oceanographic mapping programs.

The RPM Nautical Foundation operates the research vessel R/V Hercules based in Malta, the location of their operational headquarter. The R/V Hercules is deployed throughout the Mediterranean on a per project basis. The advanced research vessel carries an array of remote sensing and verification equipment, and conducts archaeological survey through intensive and systematic use of multibeam echosounder technology. The multibeam echosounder system provides the most advanced seafloor mapping capabilities for archaeological purposes in the field and utilizes three-dimensional analysis for the detection of cultural sites.

Reference Articles and Reports

Royal, J., 2008, “The 2006 Mediterranean Field Season.”, American Journal of Archaeology, *17*.1, in press.

Royal, J., 2008, “Discovery of Ancient Harbour Structures in Calabria, Italy and Implications for the Interpretation of Nearby Sites”, *International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, *36*.2, (currently online).

Royal, J., 2008, “Description and Analysis of the Finds from the 2006 Turkish Coastal Survey: Marmaris and Bodrum”, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, *36*.2, (currently online).

Royal, J., 2007, “The Albanian Coastal Survey: 2007 Fieldseason.” News and Notes, INA Quarterly, 34.4 (2007)

Royal, J., 2007, “RPM 2007 Survey Report – Sicily”, Survey Report to the Superintendent of Maritime Archaeology, Palermo, Sicily.

Royal, J., 2007, “The Albanian Coastal Survey: 2007 Fieldseason Report.” Survey Report to the Albanian Institute of Archaeology, Tirana, Albania. Royal, J., 2006, “Beyond the Shallows: Shipwreck Discoveries from the 2005 Bozburun Peninsula Survey, Turkey”, INA Quarterly, 33.2 (2006).

Royal, J., 2006, “The Remote-Sensing Survey of the Southeastern Bozburun Peninsula, Turkey: Shipwreck Discoveries and their Analyses”, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 35.2 (2006).

Royal, J., 2006, “RPM 2006 Survey Report – Turkey”, Survey Report to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology.

Royal, J., 2006, “RPM 2006 Survey Report – Sicily”, Survey Report to the Superintendent of Maritime Archaeology, Sicily, Italy.

Royal, J., “INA-RPM Crotone 2005 Survey”, Report to the Sopretendenze de Calabria, with Dante Bartoli.

Royal, J., 2005, Archaeological Field Report: 2005 SE Bozburun Peninsula Survey, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Royal, J., 2005, “New Dating Evidence for the Dor D Timbers”, with Dr. Ya’acov Kahanov. International Journal of Nautical, Archaeology, 34.2(2005). Royal, J., 2004, “INA-RPM Locri Epeziphiri 2004 Survey”, Report to the Sopretendenze de Calabria, with Dante Bartoli.

Royal, J., 2004, “RPM-INA-CAS Golfo de Cadiz 2004 Survey”, Report to the Andalucian Ministry of Culture.

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