The conference is divided into four sessions:
1st Session: Medieval and Early Modern Ship Finds from the Baltic Sea Area
In recent years, many wrecks dated to Medieval or Early Modern era have been found from around the Baltic Sea. These findings have not only added new perspectives to the field of ship archaeology but have also contributed to our understanding of the history of seafaring and trade. This session will offer an overview of the most remarkable ship finds and their current state of research.
2nd Session: Sailing between the Societies
Merchants, cities, goods, laws and traditions became connected through the ships coursing between different harbours merging into a unified system known as Hanseatic League. Historical and archaeological knowledge about trading, seafaring and everything related to it will be discussed in this session.
3rd Session: Hidden Stories – Natural Sciences Applied to Maritime Archaeology
Palynology, dendrochronology, isotope analysis, X-ray fluorescence cover only a fragment of vast array of approaches available for interpreting maritime archaeological material. This session introduces the methods that have already been succesfully applied to unravel the mysteries of the shipwrecks as well as those that have the potential to become game changers in the future.
4th Session: Preserving the Ships for Future Generations
What are the challenges in conservation of archaeological shipwrecks and their finds? Which methods should be used to preserve the wreck and the scientific information within and how to ensure that the archaeological ship is also presentable in the future? These are only some of the questions covered in this session to spark a discussion towards sustainable and efficient ways of modern conservation.