The Bronze Age Dover Boat... 10 Years On
To mark the 10th anniversary of the discovery and excavation of the Dover Boat by Canterbury Archaeological Trust (CAT), a conference was held over two days at the end of October in the Maison Dieu in Dover, sponsored amongst others by the British Academy, the KAS, Dover Bronze Age Boat Trust, Dover District Council, George Hammonds plc, KCC, Dover Harbour Board and P&O Ferries.
Over 130 delegates attended and 16 speakers gave papers relating to nautical aspects in prehistory. The conference had a truly European flavour, as our Scandinavian neighbours boast similar boat discoveries to that of the magnificent Dover example. Papers given ranged widely between practical aspects of boat construction, reconstruction and the information to be derived from this (Peter Clark of CAT dreams of building and sailing a Dover Boat replica across the Channel) to the wider aspects of seafaring in the Bronze Age. Subjects such as design and the realisation of undertaken voyages, the legacy of the Humber Ferriby boats, the iconography of rock art in relation to sea voyaging, prehistoric harbours in Kent and an environmental context for the Dover Boat were all covered. Details were given of a proactive search for the remains of Bronze Age boats and related remains underwater in a systematic project underway at the University of Oslo.
The vexed question of the Dover Boat's course was approached head on by Peter Marsden placing restraint in interpretation and proposing that the evidence better fits a riverine vessel. Perhaps the answer will never be resolved until Peter Clark fulfills his dream, thus proving his stance of the boat as a seagoing vessel...
This was a stimulating conference, which is always the case when enthusiastic experts convene, throwing up many more questions to be pondered upon in the future.
A half-size replica of the Ferriby Boat (see below) was displayed in the entrance of the Maison Dieu - a beautiful craft put together by Edwin Gifford.
The discovery of the Dover Boat as described by its excavator, Keith Parfitt, in 'Back Page People' at the end of this Newsletter.
The Dover Boat is now displayed in a special award-winning gallery in Dover Museum. However, the museum has faced recent cuts as Dover District Council strives to save over £2,000,000. The outcome is that the Council has committed itself to retaining a fully registered museum on 3 floors, remaining open 6 days a week throughout the year, but that there will be 3 job losses from within the curatorial and custodial staff. It is to be hoped that a museum which houses one of our greatest national archaeological treasures subsequently has enough staff to maintain the wonderful heritage of its area.
The Editor
A delegate examines the half-size replica of the Ferriby boat in the Maison Dieu.