The Hindu : National : A historic treasure

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 10, 2004

National

National

A historic treasure

By Mandira Nayar

NEW DELHI, OCT. 9. Straight out of an Enid Blyton book, this is a story of buried treasure and a shipwreck. Except unlike her fast-paced mysteries, this one has taken centuries to be discovered. A bit of "royal'' heritage that has been buried under the sea off the sandy beaches of Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, the "Princes Royal''has recently been excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

While the recently formed Underwater Archaeology Wing of the ASI carried out the extensive excavations two years ago, the report has only been printed recently. Blending the best of both worlds — the ancient and the modern — ASI teamed up with the Indian Navy for support on this project.

A historic find in many ways than one, the excavation is the first underwater archaeological excavation conducted in the country according to the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It is also the deepest archaeological site ever studied in Indian waters -- demonstrating the capability of the ASI's Underwater Archaeological Wing. "It is not that the ASI has not excavated underwater before. But this is the first project of the new wing. It clearly shows that together with the ASI's underwater archaeology experience as well as the deep diving skills of the Indian Navy, nothing is impossible,'' an ASI official said proudly.

A ship built in the late 18th Century — "Princes Royal" — lay forgotten on the ocean floor until three divers discovered some objects on the coral reefs in 1990 by chance. The beginning of a long relationship with the "Princes Royal'', it took many diving expeditions by experts.

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