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CONCLUSIONS
The excavation of the Batavia has proved to be an extraordinarily challenging project. It was the second major excavation not only for the author, but also for the Department of Maritime Archaeology of the Western Australian Maritime Museum. It has been one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by the Department and was a natural progression from the earlier excavation of the Vergulde Draeck (Green, 1977). The experience gained through this work has led to a series of other excavations on post-settlement shipwreck sites in Western Australia. In 1980, a one-year, post-graduate diploma course in maritime archaeology was run for two consecutive years (and again in 1985) by the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University). Graduates from this course have obtained positions in a number of institutions throughout Australia and, as a result, maritime archaeo- logical programmes have now been initiated in each Australian State.
To some extent, theref-ore, theBatavia project has been the genesis of maritime archaeology within Australia. The authoris not advocating, however, that this archaeology be used as a model for contemporary maritime archaeology. Rather, it should be considered as a starting-point for the development of maritime archaeological techniques re- lated to the investigation ofpost-medieval shipwreck sites. In many ways, the invidious site conditions on the Batavia worked to our advantage. By limiting the amount of time that could be spent underwater, they created an ideal working environment. There was a large period of time that was free to be dedicated to the administration and study of the collection. This aspect of the archaeology of underwater sites is often under-estimated. Archaeologists working in the usual situation of shipwreck archaeology, rarely have the leisure to study the material in the field. Mostly, they have to rely on drawings, records and field- notes, sometimes many years later. On the Batavia site, this was not the case. During the periods of bad weather, whenitwasnotpossibletodive,staffwereinvolvedinthe detailed recording and analysis of the material, at a time when it was fresh in their minds. This has resulted in a very thorough knowledge ofthe material and the interpretation
that can be placed on it.
On the negative side, the archaeological methodology
that was used on the site was far from satisfactory. Arte- facts were unable to be accurately co-ordinated on the site and the excavation could not be conducted in a methodical manner. Again, the sea conditions were a major factor, often making it difficult to work and, at times, impossible to achieve our objectives. The exigencies of excavating in these sort of conditions have already been discussed, and it is still not clear, given the same site today, how one could improve on the methodology, with the techniques cur- rently available forrecording. There were, of course, some obvious lessons to be learned and they were mastered quickly as they arose during the course of the work. It is worth noting that a pragmatic approach to the excavation
of the Batavia was, in the author's opinion, far more effective than implementing preconceived ideas. Provided that the highest possible archaeological standards are maintained, then techniques can be developed, on site, to cope with the conditions.
I! should also be appreciated that the work on the Batavia started at a time of relative economic prosperity. As a result, it was possible to carry out lengthy field excavations.ThefactthattheWesternAustra1ianMuseum initiated a maritime archaeological programme in the late
1960s and subsequently established a conservation labora- tory dedicated, largely, to the treatment of maritime ar- chaeological material, indicates a far-sighted approach to the subject. These initiatives had been preceded by the enactment of the State legislation (The Maritime Archae- ology Act) in 1964 by which the Western Australian State Governmentprotectedallsitesofmaritimearchaeological significance. Today, this Act is still regarded as a pioneer- ing piece of legislation and clearly, in the author's view, the foundation ofany form oflong-term maritime archaeo- logical programme.
Finally, this first major archaeological report on the Batavia project has taken a long time to produce. I! is in the nature of archaeological research; each individual artefact has to be thoroughly studied and, in many cases, this is difficult because material is also undergoing lengthy conservation procedures. Although the main phase of the excavation was completed in 1976, the research is far from finished. The hull structure is in the process ofreconstruc- tion at the Western Australian Maritime Museum in Fre-
mantle and should be completed in 1990, twenty years after the start of the excavation programme. There is still on-goingresearchrelatedtomanyofthegroupsofmaterial from the Batavia and on the site itself. New questions are arising all the time and, in the nature of scientific research, as these question are addressed and in part answered, new questions will emerge.
It is perhaps noteworthy that the Batavia project is an example of a research programme which has had no preconceived notions about the direction that the research should take. The site has been studied using the basic scientific premise that the wreck is a phenomenon and, as such, should be studied carefully and thoroughly to be understood. Naturally, the progress of this study is a destructive process of the site itself and, therefore, the excavation has to be conducted in a careful and controlled manner. Mistakes will occur, however, for it is only through the process of excavation that it is possible to determine the correct archaeological method. As the exca- vation work is the method whereby the archaeological data is obtained. so the analysis of this archaeological data allows for the essential interpretation, and from that,
further questions and research are generated. This is the scientific method. It is hoped that this first publication has helped to show the advantages of this approach.
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