2008 will be the second year that a team of the Ertuĝrul Project works in Kushimoto, Japan. In 2007 the team performed a detailed and exhaustive survey to determine the extension of the Ertuĝrul wreck area. The research results showed where most of the artifacts and ship remains were located. In 2008 the intention is to conduct an underwater archaeological excavation.
The first few diving days will be used to set up all the equipment properly like water dredge, compressors and pumps, setting fixed datum points on the rocks around the work area as a mapping reference points. For these tasks we might be using underwater drills and other dangerous equipment.
Once all the technical aspects of the dig are sorted out the archaeological work will start, first cleaning the area of debris, lose rocks or other elements not related to the shipwreck.
After the terrain is ready for excavation, one of our main goals is to check and improve the underwater mapping done in 2007; 3D underwater mapping system might be used when possible. A virtual grid (physically it might be impossible because the abrupt seascape) will be established using spikes in the rocks or other methods to be decided.
The archaeological field work will be focusing in collecting as much detailed information as possible from the wreck area while mapping and recovering archaeological materials. In that sense the team will map and raise the most interesting artifacts from the area surveyed in 2007: the sea bottom in the area is made out of loose gravel among which the artifacts are found, nevertheless, many other artifacts are found heavily concreted in the seabed, from those, only the most interesting will be chiseled and raised.
We will put a big effort on imaging the artifacts, with photo and video, both to visually record and facilitate 3D mapping; taking measurements of archaeological areas, noting the distribution and position of artifacts. Our mission is to do a properly documented archaeological work to recover artifacts belonging the Frigate Ertuĝrul to conserve and exhibit in the Turkish Museum in Oshima.
Artifacts that will remain in the seabed for various reasons and will not be raised, will be documented, mapped and photographed for the records.