plan, which the State Party has promised in writing to complete by the end of 2005. The site does have a satisfactory management system, as required by the Operational Guidelines 108- 110. The system is in place and is effective. The site is well managed and conservation and maintenance works are being carried out following agreed plan and by trained professionals.
Resources:
The conservation and management budget comes from the Ministry of Information, and its only scope is conservation and consolidation of the main fort.
in Sumerian and other sources, was considered until the Qal'at al Bahrain discoveries as a rather historical and philological concept. Since then other excavations in Eastern Arabia exposed remains of the Dilmun culture, but at none of the known sites all periods of this culture are represented. In Qal'at al-Bahrain, in addition there is a representation of all other historic periods – thus the site becomes kind of a catalogue of the cultures of the region.
This phenomenon does not exist on any other site of the East Arabian region.
3. ICOMOS EVALUATION
Actions by ICOMOS
An ICOMOS mission to the site took place in November
2004.
ICOMOS has consulted the State Party for further information.
Conservation
Conservation history:
Some of the earlier excavated areas have been backfilled Very little conservation and consolidation work has been carried out on the exposed remains. The nomination file is mentioning it as well, while describing future intentions for conservation works.
On the other hand extensive reconstruction works took place on the main fort, much beyond the acceptable according to the professional ethics. Some of it is justified in the file by conservation needs, but the extent of it is far beyond what conservation\consolidation can justify.
The past conservation works have not been fully documented.
State of conservation:
The central excavated area is decaying and just recently starts getting conservation attention and consolidation. The important coastal fortress has been recently consolidated and seems to be in good state of conservation. The main fortress is in good state of conservation, and most of the work being carried out on the site is on this fortress.
The archaeological expeditions working on the site are not required to carry out conservation works on the remains they are uncovering.
Risk analysis:
The main risks are urbanization, development pressures, property values and land reclamation. At the moment there are two big projects in the pipeline – one of large urban development to the north of the site and the other one an artificial island. The traditional architecture is of two to three storey buildings only, and therefore does not cause a threat to skyline. On the other hand, it is not known what is planned to be constructed on the new island, and since land is so expensive, it would make sense that buildings there will be higher than the ones on mainland. The risk of the isl and is also in the fact that the link between the site and the sea as well as the ancient approach from the sea to the site are an important component of its cultural and historic value.
On the other hand, the site is surrounded by palm groves, and their protection reduces some of the risks.
Authenticity and integrity
Authenticity:
As an archaeological site, most of its authenticity is well kept. While this is true for the excavated parts, it is not the same with the main fortress. This important structure has been extensively reconstructed.
Integrity:
The settings of the site and its relations to the surroundings have been compromised, but not yet to the extent of reducing its values. The main integrity issue comes from land reclamation in front of the site, which gained its importance from the available access from the sea.
Therefore keeping this link between site and sea is important.
Comparative evaluation The comparative analysis presented in the nomination file is comprehensive and convincing. While there are other sites in the region which represent the same historic periods, none of them represent all periods on one site, as is the case with Qal'at al Bahrain.
Outstanding universal value. The site has outstanding universal value. The justification of this statement comes from the importance of the Dilmun culture and its archaeological presence on the nominated site. This land and culture is mentioned in the Sumerian mythology linking Dilmun with the origins of the world. Sumerian texts from the 3rd millennium describe Dilmun as land blessed by the Gods, graced with abundant fresh water and renowned as an international marketplace. Dilmun was the only marketplace for long distance trade via the Gulf. It was a port of transit where representatives of all countries came to exchange or sell their products, thus also exchange cultural ideas. In the 2nd Millennium BC Dilmun is conquered by the Mesopotamian Kassite dynasty and in the 7th century BC mentioned seven times in the bas-reliefs of Sargon's palace in Khorsabad.
All these historic periods are well represented in Qal'at al- Bahrain, which is considered as the capital of Dilmun and the seat of the king or the administrator – when the Dilmuns are conquered by others.
General statement:
ICOMOS has no doubt in the high cultural values of the site and the importance of its investigations and conservation for the understanding of the big cultures of the world.
Evaluation of criteria:
The state party suggests the inscription of the site on the basis of criteria ii, iii, iv and ICOMOS agrees that the site meets these criteria.
Criterion ii: There is no doubt that Qal'at al-Bahrain, being a capital and port on important trade routes, preserves important material testimony of different cultures and exchanges of cultures, which use it as market or occupied it.
Criterion iii: This site bears a unique testimony of Dilmun capital city and culture, of early city planning traditions and of all cultures which existed and lived in the region for almost 5000 years.
Criterion iv: The early Dilmun palaces are unique examples of this type of architecture in the region and of this culture The different fortresses are outstanding examples of defensive structures from the 3rd and 15-16th centuries, defending the ruling power from the locals, rather than from the outside. The palmgroves, in combination with the site, are outstanding example of an agricultural tradition and landscape which has existed since the 3rd century BC.
4.ICOMOS RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation with respect to inscription ICOMOS recommends that the World Heritage Committee adopt the following draft decision:
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-05/29.COM/8B,
2. Inscribes the property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria ii, iii and iv:
Criterion ii: Being an important port city, where people and traditions from different parts of the then known world met, lived and practiced their commercial activities, makes the place a real meeting point of cultures – all reflected in its architecture and development. Being in addition, invaded and occupied for long periods, by most of the great powers and empires, leaved their cultural traces in different strata of the tell.
Criterion iii: The site was the capital of one of the most important ancient civilizations of the region – the Dilmun civilization. As such this site is the best representative of this culture.
Criterion iv: The palaces of Dilmun are unique examples of public architecture of this culture, which had an impact on architecture in general in the region.
The different fortifications are the best examples of defence works from the 3rd century B.C to the 16th century AD, all on one site. The protected palm groves surrounding the site are an illustration of the typical landscape and agriculture of the region, since the 3rd century BC.
3. Requests that the State party submit by 31st January 2006 a complete management plan.
4. Requests that the State Party refrains from approving any land reclamation or constructions in the sea anywhere
in front of the site.
ICOMOS, April 2005
|
Aerial view of late Dilmun residence
Plan showing the boundaries of the nominated property
OLD SHIPS
THE MARY ROSE
The Mary Rose was an English Tudor carrack warship and one of the first to be able to fire a full broadside of cannons. The Mary Rose was well equipped with 78 guns (91 after an upgrade in 1536). Built in Portsmouth , England ( 1509 – 1510 ) she was thought to be named after King Henry VIII 's sister Mary and the rose , the Tudor emblem. She was one of the earliest purpose-built warships to serve in the English Navy ; it is thought that she never served as a merchant ship . She displaced 500 tons (700 tons after 1536), was 38.5 m long and 11.7 m abeam and her crew consisted of 200 sailors, 185 soldiers, and 30 gunners. Although she was the pride of the English fleet, she was sunk in the Solent , and it is thought she sank during an engagement with the French fleet on July 19 , 1545 . The exact cause of her sinking has not been definitely determined but is thought to be because of instability. The surviving section of the ship was raised in 1982 and is now on display in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard along with an extensive collection of well preserved artifacts.
Contents
[ hide ]
Career
She served as the flagship of Admiral Sir Edward Howard in the Italian Wars and was frequently engaged. On 10 August 1512 she was the flagship of an English fleet of 50 ships that attacked the French at Brest in Brittany . The Mary Rose attacked the French Marie la Cordelière , the flagship of Admiral Ren de Clermont; in the battle the Marie la Cordelière was crippled and the Mary Rose was damaged and ran aground. The Marie la Cordelière then came under fire from the Mary James , the Sovereign , and the Regent , eventually blowing up with the loss of more than a thousand men. Thirty-two French ships were taken or destroyed in the battle.
After the death of Edward Howard in 1513, the Mary Rose became the flagship of Lord High Admiral Sir Thomas Howard .
In 1528 and again in 1536 the Mary Rose was rebuilt, having her displacement increased from 500 to 700 tons and now mounting 91 guns. The refits are thought to have added an extra deck, making her top-heavy and liable to roll in heavy seas.
Sinking
In 1545 , King Francis I of France launched an invasion of England with 30,000 soldiers in more than 200 ships. Against this invasion fleet—larger than the Spanish Armada forty-three years later—the English had about 80 ships and 12,000 soldiers, with the Mary Rose the flagship of Vice Admiral Sir George Carew. In early July the French entered the Solent channel, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight . On July 19 , 1545 (see Battle of the Solent ) the English came out of Portsmouth and engaged the French at long range, little damage being done on either side. The next day was calm, and the French employed their galleys against the immobile English vessels. Toward evening a breeze sprang up and as Mary Rose advanced to battle she capsized and sank with the loss of all but 35 of her crew. There were sources that said that the ship had fired from the portside and made a sharp turn so it could fire from the starboard side. The turn was so sharp that the ship keeled over to one side but at the same time the gun ports were open so that water rushed in and the ship sank. Sources also suggest that the Mary Rose had the gunports too low for it to be stable. Furthermore, the ship was carrying a large number of soldiers on her upper decks, with the possible result of further raising her centre of gravity and making her even more unstable. As was common in warships of the time, the upper decks were covered with netting to prevent soldiers from enemy ships from boarding. When the Mary Rose sank, this netting prevented many from escaping in time and contributed to the high percentage of casualties. Furthermore many sailors could not swim, as having a reputation for superstition , they regarded this as tempting fate. Losses were therefore particularly severe.
Experiments
Researchers for a television programme used an exact scale model of the Mary Rose to investigate the causes suggested for her sinking. Metal weights were used to simulate the presence of troops on the upper decks. Initial tests showed that the Mary Rose was able to make the turn described by eyewitnesses without capsizing. In later tests, a fan was used to create a breeze similar to the one reported to have suddenly sprung up on the day of the sinking as the real Mary Rose went to make the turn. As the model went to make the turn, the breeze in the upper works of the ship forced the ship to turn at a more acute angle than before, forcing her lower gun ports below the waterline . Water entered the ship, increasing the degree of the list, and causing the rate of flooding to increase. The ship quickly keeled over and capsized, sinking completely within a few seconds.The sequence of events closely followed what eyewitnesses had reported had occurred, particularly the suddenness with which the ship sank. The researchers concluded that numerous causes had contributed to making the Mary Rose unstable and top heavy, such as:
- The 1528 and 1536 refits, which had installed heavy cannon higher up in the structure of the ship than had originally been planned.
- The presence of large numbers of troops on the upper decks, preparing to fight the French forces.
- The development of larger bronze cannons through the period of her time in service, which ended up being fitted to a ship not designed to carry them.
- The design of many warships in the period, which had a tendency towards being top heavy, as mathematical observations concerning centres of gravity and displacement were not thoroughly understood. Eventually the decisions regarding a ship's design came down to the experience of the shipwright , and miscalculations were not uncommon.
In addition to these weaknesses, the gun ports were cut too low in the ship's side, perhaps in an attempt to fit more cannon and create a more powerful warship.These ports should have been closed as the ship went to make the turn, but for some reason, possibly a breakdown in communication, or an oversight by the sailors, they were not. Despite all these factors combining to create a hazardous situation, the experiment showed that the Mary Rose's sinking was not inevitable. The sudden gust of wind that caught the ship at the crucial point of her turn was the final fatal contribution to the sinking.
Consequences
The loss of one of the most powerful Tudor warships afloat caused considerable consternation, particularly as it sank within sight of King Henry VIII who was watching from Southsea Castle nearby. The fact that it sank was particularly unusual for the time. The most common cause of the loss of a warship was through fire. The lack of powerful cannon and the robustness of wooden ships made it difficult for ships to be damaged sufficiently in engagements for them to sink. There was also no immediate explanation for the sinking, such as a violent storm, or foundering on rocks.The loss of the Mary Rose therefore entered the public consciousness and was remembered, whereas most ship losses over the period were not.
Modern work on the wreck
Rediscovery
On June 16 , 1836 the Mary Rose was found when a fishing net caught on the wreck, and diver John Deane recovered timbers, guns , longbows , and other items. But the location was forgotten after Deane stopped work on the site in 1840.
Alexander McKee started a new search in 1965 , and in 1967 Professor Harold Edgerton found an acoustic anomaly by using side-scan sonar . In 1971 a springtide, combined with a severe gale, uncovered a layer of sediment , leaving several structural timbers clearly visible. In the years that followed, it became clear that the wreck lay on her starboard side, at an angle of 60°.
On 5 February 1974 the Mary Rose wreck became the second wrecksite (along with others) to be protected under the Protection of Wrecks Act . The wrecksite remains protected today even after the lifting of the majority of the remaining ship timber.
Excavation and raising
In 1979 the Mary Rose Trust was formed and an archeological team under the direction of Dr. Margaret Rule , CBE, began work to excavate the wreck. First, the wreck was lifted by means of a lifting frame. After that, the wreck, still under water, could be lifted onto a support cradle. On October 11 , 1982 the wreck was lifted from the water and put upright in a dry dock with a temperature of 2–6 °C and a relative humidity of 95%.
Preservation
In 1994 work started on a three-stage conservation process using low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol (a wax , essentially). The second stage consists of spraying the wreck with a high-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol; these first two stages will take at least twenty years to complete. In the third stage, the wreck will be slowly dried. This preservation technique is the same as that begun in 1961 for the Vasa , a Swedish ship of the line which capsized in 1628 and is now on display in Stockholm . The Vasa is virtually intact while the Mary Rose is an almost perfect longitudinal vertical cross-section, due to marine worms such as the shipworm Teredo navalis destroying the port side above the seabed.
The expertise and facilities developed for the preservation of the Mary Rose has benefited many other archaeological projects. Experts from the Mary Rose Trust helped conserve the Dover Bronze Age Boat and the timbers from Seahenge .
Finds
Along with remains of around half the crew, a great number of artifacts were uncovered during excavation, including navigational and medical equipment, carpentry tools, guns, longbows , arrows with traces of copper -rich binding glue still remaining on the tips, cooking and eating utensils, lanterns , backgammon boards, playing dice, logs for the galley 's ovens, and even a well-preserved shawm , a long lost predecessor of the oboe , from which a fully functioning model has since been replicated.
Display
These artifacts, and the wreck itself, are displayed at the Mary Rose museum located on the Royal Naval base in Portsmouth, England . A £20 million appeal for funds for The Final Voyage - the co-location of the hull of the Mary Rose with her artifacts in a new museum - was launched locally in Portsmouth on the evening of 10th March 2006. Leading local businesses, members of Portsmouth City Council and the Lord Mayor attended presentations in the current museum. Intended to attract 500,000 visitors and opening by 2012 (with active conservation of the hull intended to be complete in 2009), this new co-located museum will create a world-leading museum in Portsmouth for the Mary Rose and the Tudor Navy, an international centre for maritime archaeology and provide better facilities for education and outreach. This was denied a Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2006 [1] .
Further excavation
On 11 October 2005 , the 23rd anniversary of the original wreck lift, the anchor and parts of her bow were raised from the sea-bed in a delicate operation sponsored by the Ministry of Defence . These parts will also eventually go on display.
See also
For other ships of this name see:
For general Tudor naval history, see:
- Henry VIII
- The Tudors and the Royal Navy
- Royal Navy
- History of the Royal Navy
For more information on archaeology and shipwrecks see:
- Maritime archaeology
- Underwater archaeology
- Archaeology of shipwrecks
For other warship shipwrecks, see:
- Regalskeppet Vasa
- Kronan
- HMS Hood
- German battleship Bismarck
External links
Spanish ship Santísima Trinidad
The Spanish ship Santísima Trinidad (officially named Santisima Trinidad y Nuestra Señora del Buen Fin ) was a first-rate ship of the line of 120 guns (when first built). Her armament was later increased to as many as 140 guns on four decks. For many years she was the biggest warship in the world.
Contents
Design & construction
She was built at Havana , Cuba, to a design by Irish naval architect Matthew Mullan and launched in 1769 as an 120-gun three-decker (some sources say 116 or 112 guns). For many years she was the biggest warship in the world, being considerably larger than her British contemporary Victory and somewhat bigger than the French Bretagne .
There is no complete plan of the ship in existence, but there are of the 112-gun ship from 1765, which might be found the original dimensions of the ship : (the next dimension are in feet of the burgos (278,6 mm), and metres.) length = 213 2/3 (59,53), keel= 182 5/12 (50,82), beam= 57 3/4 (16,09), depth= 28 11/12 (8,06). For exact figures, and those in the General Characteristics frame, see: José Cayuela Fernandez - Trafalgar, hombres y naves entre dos épocas - Ariel 2004 .
In 1795, her forecastle was joined to her quarterdeck to create a fourth deck containing a battery of eight pounder guns, giving her a total of 140 guns. Her armament seems to have been quickly reduced to 130 to 136 guns. Even so, she now carried the largest number of guns of any single ship of her time. As the only ship with four gun decks, she was reputed to be the largest warship in the world, until surpassed in sheer size by the new type French 120-gun ships such as the Océan (1790) and Orient (1791) .
The additional weight of guns so high above her waterline made her sail poorly, leading to her nickname , El Ponderoso . It was even suggested that she would best serve the navy by having her duties restricted to the defense of the Bay of Cádiz .
Santísima Trinidad remains famous as one of the few four-decker ship of the line ever built. The U.S. Navy constructed the four-deck, 136-gun Pennsylvania , and the Royal Navy planned but did not actually build the four-deck Duke of Kent .
 Figurehead of the Santisima Trinidad at berth in the harbour of Málaga
Service
In July 1779, Spain declared war on Great Britain, joining France in support of the American colonists in the American War of Independence . Santísima Trinidad became the flagship of the Spanish fleet, taking part in the Franco-Spanish operations in the English Channel in the late summer of that year.
In 1780 she took part in the capture of an English convoy of 51 ships.
In 1782 she was incorporated into the Mediterranean Squadron, participating in the second siege of Gibraltar and she fought in the brief and indecisive Battle of Cape Spartel .
In 1795, she was modified by the addition of extra 8-pounder guns on a new deck between her forecastle and quarterdeck .
In 1797, she was the flagship of Teniente General José de Córdoba , the Spanish commander, at Battle of Cape St Vincent on 14 February 1797 , where she was badly damaged and nearly captured by the British fleet. She was first in action with the British ship Captain 74, commanded by Commodore Nelson , and Culloden 74. She was then attacked by the Blenheim 90, Orion 74, Irresistible 74 and Excellent 74. By now she was severely damaged, having lost all her masts and with half of her crew killed or wounded. She struck her colours , but the British failed to take possession and she was saved by the Pelayo 74 and Principe de Asturias 112. Several days later, Santísima Trinidad was spotted, still damaged, making her way back to Spain, and engaged by the frigate Terpsichore 32, but she escaped. She eventually returned to Cadiz for repairs.
Eight years later, commanded by Francisco Javier Uriarte and Rear Admiral Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros , she took part in the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21 , 1805 , as part of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet. Her great size and position immediately ahead of the fleet flagship Bucentaure made her a target for the British fleet, and she came under concentrated attack by several ships. She lost her mast and eventually surrendered to the Neptune , commanded by Captain Thomas Fremantle . She was taken in tow by the Prince , but sank in a storm the day after the battle.
Trivia
A real-size model of the Santísima Trinidad can be seen and visited in the harbour of Málaga , in Spain.
Sources & references
- John D. Harbron Trafalgar and the Spanish Navy (1988) ISBN 0870216953
- José Cayuela Fernandez - Trafalgar, hombres y naves entre dos épocas - Ariel (Barcelona) 2004 ISBN 84344676070
External links
 The Venus has been a familiar sight around Pensacola for many years. Her graceful lines and white hull made her one of the prettiest "belles" in the bay. This photo was taken about 1930. Bill Broughton, the owner & skipper is active with the Pensacola Yacht club.
PROJECTS FOR
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THE BISHRAMGANJ–INDIA AwF PROJECT 
Integration of aquaculture in watershed management programmes to benefit the poor tribal people of Tripura, India Background This project on Integration of aquaculture in watershed management programmes has been planned to help the very poor to marginal farmers. It is necessary to educate the people about the new opportunities available for the effective utility of the available resources and create responsibility for the protection, preservation and responsible management of all the available resources. The quality of the eco-system and the people are planned to be improved through the intervention of the proposed project. The occupation of the people in this project is largely agriculture and labour work. They are cultivating rice, vegetables, Potato and Pineapple. 100% of the people are scheduled tribes. They are the major tribal group like Debbarma, Riangs, Jamatia, Tripuri, Notia and Garos along with many other sub tribes. The other sources of livelihood for the tribal are Fishery, Piggery, Goatary and Poultry. The people are largely dependent on forest products. Through this project, we would like to create awareness on integration of aquaculture in watershed management to improve their income, family nutrition and create employment opportunities. Situation in Tripura: Specific problems and needs The state of Tripura is divided into four civil districts namely Dhalai, North, South and West Tripura. It spreads over an area of 10,846 Sq K.M. And the population is around 30 Lakhs. Though the government and its Tribal Welfare Department were doing different projects for the welfare of the tribals for a long time, it had not made any impact in the life of the real poor tribal people in the state. The socio-economic life of the poor tribals remains unchanged because of the insurgency and corruption among politicians and bureaucrats. The tribal economy is based on the principle of self-sufficiency mainly centred around the hills and forests. There are 19 major tribes who form 30% of the total population of the State. The remaining 70% are Bengalis and Manipuris. The history of the tribal and the non-tribal living together in the State of Tripura has been a story of repeated outbursts of intolerance and distrust. Of late, such violent incidents have been on the increase and fear looms in the minds of people that the entire State is on the brink of a widespread communal riot. These and other factors, historical and geographical, have combined to make Northeastern region of India one of the poorest in the Country. Besides poor communication facilities, large-scale presence of armed militancy is another factor that drives away potential investors from this region. Violence has already brought to a grinding halt the system of education and healthcare especially in the tribal dominated rural areas. While most systems of development have ceased to function effectively, ethnic strife continues unabated claiming more and more innocent lives. The root cause of violence is poverty of the people especially the tribals. They are turned to violence and terrorism. The only way to bring back these people is wholesome employment. As employment in government sector is very limited and the only way is self-employment through vocational training either in mechanical or agricultural sectors. Origin of the project After much deliberation and thought, we the members of the St. Xavier's Bishramganj (Social Welfare Organization) thought it proper to intervene at this critical stage in the life of the people especially the poor people of Tripura. The only way to bring peace is economic development of the people, especially the tribals. The tribals have good amount of land. They have their personal land and the common land belonging to the tribe where they are able to cultivate. What the people at present require is training in scientific way of cultivation and some support to initiate the activity. They can be trained in different agriculture practices including aquaculture. They can set up their own aquaculture activity to improve their living. Hence, St. Xavier's Bishramganj (NGO) and Fishery College, Lembucherra have identified the need for developing training modules for poor tribals engaged in their livelihood on natural resources and enable them to improve their livelihood through aquaculture. This project does not envisage training as an end itself, but aims to strengthen watershed management programmes through aquaculture. This project envisages imparting of comprehensive training in watershed management and upgrading the technical skills of people on aquaculture and providing them with equipments and financial support to set their own fishery for family consumption, self-employment and income generation. As a first step, this project is directed to the 30 poor families who are ready to learn and enable a living through self-employment by getting training in aquaculture. The proposal is the result of our interaction with the people of the area, who have repeatedly expressed to us the great benefits that would be derived if such a help is provided. Since the poor people living with poverty and unemployment, they find this project easy and assuring. It is also our hope that the beneficiaries of our project will successfully go through their course of training and later become successful fish cultivators, with the technical help forthcoming from the specialists. They will become agents of peace and communal harmony in a place that is in constant disturbance. We feel that the long-term objective of this venture is peace and human dignity through self-sufficiency. Location of the Project: The Bishramganj-India AwF Project is located in Bishalgargh Block of West Tripura district. The project area is located around 25 km from the district head quarter and around 35 km from the state capital Agartala. The project area consists of ten villages namely Laltilla, Masterpara, Chikancherra, Bastoli, Bangshibari, Gulirai, Amtali, Sutarmura, Luntangcherra and Padmanagar. Aim of the project: To improve the quality of the eco-system and meet the livelihood needs of people, which will contribute to improve the socio-economic- nutrition- health status of people and ecological condition of the environment. Objectives of the Project:
-
To utilize unused or underused land and water resources
-
To promote aquaculture and increase consumption of fish.
-
To improve the economic condition of the poor people through aquaculture
Methodology: hirty farmers chosen to work on this project will be trained by using the family approach wherein both husband and wife will be trained on fish culture over a period of two days by bringing them to the training centre. These trained farmers will utilize their knowledge to renovate their own ponds, which are currently used for water storage, wild fish capture and in some cases stocking of cultivated variety of fish, but without resorting to proper aquaculture practices. Popular carp species along with few of the self recruiting species will be introduced to ensure sustainability to the activity. Farmers will be encouraged to use the resources available for use as pond input. Integration of fish ponds with other agricultural activities will be encouraged. A project monitoring committee will be formed consisting of elected 4 -5 members from the community including the technical advisors from Central Agriculture University (Fishery College, Lembucherra) and Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR). On site training necessary for the farmers will be provided based on the monitoring results. Base line bench mark information will be recorded to track the changes through the project. Participatory approaches coupled with the traditional scientific methods as appropriate will be used to capture the impact of the intervention. In order to create confidence among people and gain trust, the society will conduct initial training programmes and village level meetings with the technical support of experts. The follow up support and monitoring will be done by representatives of the society and technical help will be given by technical advisors. As we are closely associated with the developmental work carried out by Prof. Nandeesha (Fishery College, Lembucherra) and Dr. Santosh, Scientist of ICAR, Regional Office, Tripura, we are confident of implementing this project successfully. Additionally, the technical input for the project will be assisted, supervised, and monitored by Prof. Nandeesha in his capacity as an AwF volunteer. In recognition of the financial and technical input from AwF, the project will be named and referred to as the 'Bishramganj-India AwF project' in all documents. Expected benefits of the project: The implementation of the project will benefit the poor tribal people by enabling them to better utilize the resources available within their reach through aquaculture. This project will help to increase fish consumption through the introduction of this new activity scientifically. It will also create employment opportunity. Improved watershed management will help in recharging the groundwater resources, reduce soil erosion, decrease run off speed and increase agricultural productivity. In this first phase, we expect thirty families to derive benefits from this activity. Project duration: One year, commencing August 2005. Reporting: We will submit half yearly and final reports about the progress of the project to AwF. Also, on a regular basis, we will bring to your notice any interesting developments and problems encountered.
Estimated project cost: The project aims at providing technical support and minimal support essential for the people to initiate the activity and experience the benefit of the programme. While part of the project activity will be covered through local contribution, an amount of Rs. 155,000 /- is requested from AwF. The local contribution will be in the form of labour and other farm inputs by farmers and the support by the Training Centre to cover part of the expenses involved in monitoring, organizing regular trainings, etc. Note: I million = 10 lakhs: One USD: @ Rs. 44/- Names of potential beneficiaries requesting help for the implementation of the Bishramganj-India AwF Project :
1. Gopal Debbarma 2. Lolang Debbarma 3. Harichand Debbarma 4. Khundi Debbarma 5. Haphius Mia 6. Humayun Mia 7. Nurul Hag 8. Apon Mia 9. Mujibur Rehman 10. Salima Mia 11. Wakhi Rai Debbarma 12. Borjola Debbarma 13. Kishore Debbarma 14. Rotiranjan Rai 15. Vijayakumar Taran 16. Kamaini Debbarma 17. Uttam Debbarma 18. Balaram Debbarma 19. Krishna Debbarma 20. Premmohan Debbarma 21. Shanti Debbarma 22. Nabin Debbarma 23. Nanigopal Debbarma 24. Shambu Debbarma 25. Mangal Debbarma 26. Kiran Mia 27. Sachindra Debbarma 28. Kamal Debbarma 29. Jadu Mia 30. Sadhu Molsom Note: Debbarma is a particular tribe. The list contains only male heads of family. The list has tribal families and Bengali hindu and muslim families as well.
BUDGET OF THE BISHRAMGANJ–India AwF PROJECT
Sl.No |
Particulars |
Amount |
1. |
Maintenance and deepening the ponds for
watershed management and aquaculture:
earth work including excavation, lead, lift and compaction for 30 ponds @ average of
Rs: 4000/family |
120000 |
255000 |
00 |
2. |
Fingerlings, fertilizers @ Rs: 1500 /family
|
45000 |
3. |
Feed @Rs: 1500 /family
|
45000 |
4. |
Training and follow up support
|
30000 |
5. |
Miscellaneous cost including tools and implements @ Rs: 500
|
15000 |
|
|
Grand Total
(Two Lakhs Fifty Five Thousand Only) |
255000 |
00 |
Local Contribution
(One Lakh Only) |
100000 |
00 |
Amount Requested from AwF-----------------
(One Lakh Fifty Five Thousand Only) |
155000 |
00 |
Explanation to the budget requested: (1) Depending on the poverty level of the family, payment for the work carried by the family members for renovating their pond including hired labour will be compensated by paying the wages at the Government rate. (2) Part of the training and follow up support expenses will be covered with the budget indicated. (3) It is planned to restrict support to each family to a maximum of Rs. 5000/- . Families will be encouraged to make best possible decision on the utility of this support to increase aquaculture productivity. Yours Sincerely, Fr. K. J Joseph Sdb If the project is acceptable, please send your help in the name of the St. Xavier's Bishramganj A/C No: 6963 Central Bank of India Agartala Branch Agartala, West Tripura India Swift code: CBINIBICAL It is important to state that the money should go to Central Bank of India, Agartala Branch.
About the organisation: St. Xavier's Bishramganj (SXB) St. Xavier's Bishramganj (SXB) is a social work organization and development wing of the Salesians of Don Bosco (Salesian Fathers) working in Tripura towards integrated development for all irrespective of cast, ethnic groups, and religion, with special focus on poor and marginalized, in the spirit of love and service. It is a non-profitable, non-political, voluntary organization registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, and is committed to the uplift of the marginalized. Our vision is a self-sustaining, just and peaceful society based on the gospel values of empowerment, love and justice. We commit ourselves to the empowerment of the poor and the marginalized through development strategies that release the powers of the rural poor to transform their lives. The institute works with the people, rather than for them. SXB's strategy recognizes that the poor face multiple problems: lack of education, inadequate income opportunities, lack of scientific yet affordable know-how, ill health, a degraded environment, political oppression. SXB uses bottom-up, participatory, integrated strategies to address this interlocking nature of rural poverty. It is carrying out various Training programmes on different vocational trades, health, hygiene and environment. Objectives of St. Xavier's Bishramganj : The dream is to usher in through Economic Self-reliance, a suitable ambiance for dignified human living for all people especially the rural and economically weak agrarian community of Tripura. Ø Bring about self-reliance in economy by creating possibilities for people to engage in alternative forms of development that are viable, proven and self-sustaining. Ø Promotes development of the economically weak and predominantly agrarian sections of people in the remote areas. Ø Focuses on development strategies that release the powers of the rural poor to transform their lives. Ø Strengthen the self-determining capacity of the rural poor on the economic front. Programme areas and Goals:
- Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture
- Rural Enterprise Development
- Community Health, Reproductive Health & Nutrition
- Literacy – Formal & Remedial
- Culture – Language and the Arts
Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary 
Located on the open coast at Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula and covering 80 hectares in area, Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary supports the most diverse intertidal rocky reef communities in Victoria. The Marine Sanctuary comprises an extensive rock platform, with sheltered rock pools and coves protected by a shallow reef on the ocean side. Things to Do
The area provides a useful educational experience and is popular with schools studying marine life. The rocky shores and surrounding reefs at Flinders, at the south-west corner of Western Port, are famous for the diversity of their marine life. For over one hundred years, scientists and naturalists have frequented the reefs, and the area has revealed numerous animal species not previously known to science. Recent discoveries include sea stars that brood their young in their stomach and other tiny seastar species that were once thought to be juveniles. Easily visible are numerous rectangular crabs, multicoloured cushion sea-stars, small spiralled shells of all shapes and sizes and rows of daisy-like anemones. The seafloor within the coves (2 - 3 m depth) is carpeted in algae and seagrass, with the larger rocks of the reef covered in kelps, and smaller brown and red algae. The sandy bottom supports large beds of Amphibolis seagrass inhabited by a variety of fish including Saddled Wrasse and Magpie Morwong. Strange box-like Cowfish and Weedy Sea-dragons hover furtively over the seagrass beds. Black and White Sea Star
The amazing Black and White Sea Star is one of only two sea stars known to brood its young in its stomach. It carefully deposits the eggs onto rocks and after fertilisation passes the eggs one by one with its tube feet to the mouth. Up to 300 juveniles grow in the stomach for a month or so and are released as clusters of tiny pink stars in October. Although not confirmed, it appears as if the female does not eat during this period. The Black and White Sea Star is not common. It appears to favour shallow rock pools on basalt reefs and occurs only in Victoria and Tasmania. Geological, Hydrological and Landform Features
At low tide, the sea withdraws to expose a huge mushroom-shaped platform. The reef is formed from ancient basalt that has weathered gracefully, allowing a multitude of creatures to hide under the loose rocks or within the crevices and cracks. The exposed ocean area of this sanctuary contains numerous subtidal pools and boulders in the intertidal area, and basalt substrates, which provide a rich variety of microhabitats. A line of cobbles stretches out to sea, forming the stalk of the mushroom. At the tip, sections of reef branch out on either side, forming the mushroom cap. Other reefs lie to the left and right and further out to sea, creating a mosaic of sheltered bays and pools. Looking After the Park
For the protection of the marine environment, a number of activities are prohibited within the boundaries of Victoria's marine national parks and marine sanctuaries. No fishing, netting, spearing, taking or killing of marine life. All methods of fishing, from the shore or the sea, are prohibited. As users of the marine environment, you can help minimise your impact on these areas by being mindful of the following points:
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enjoy the marine environment without removing the plants and animals minimise your impact while diving and snorkelling by:
- being careful to avoid damage to marine life caused by fins
- developing good skills in buoyancy control
- securing all gauges and pressure hoses to avoid snagging them on objects
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take any rubbish home with you - do not dump rubbish into the sea
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avoid stressing marine life by not chasing or grabbing free-swimming animals
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exercise great care if approached by large marine animals (including birds) & avoid blocking their paths if moving
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take care where you anchor your boat (anchor in sand, rubble or mud, avoiding sensitive areas, and use mooring buoys where provided)
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do not pollute the water with sewage - ensure that if your vessel has an onboard toilet that it has an approved sewage holding facility and that sewage is disposed of appropriately on land
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take the time to learn more about Victoria's marine animals and plants and the habitats they depend upon
Remember, Marine National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries are NO TAKE ENVIRONMENTS. All objects (artefacts), animals eg. fish and crustaceans, plants, and the seabed are totally protected. NEW CATALOGUE OF STARS, SPROCKET WHEELS, CONCHES, CHORALES, PERL THEM And SEA HORSES, OF SOUTH SEA
The Legendary Tahitian Pearl
Commonly known around the world as black pearls, the pearls of Tahiti are indigenous to the remote lagoons of French Polynesia in the South Pacific.
Legend has it that the pearl oyster, Te Ufi was offered to man by Oro , the god of peace and fertility, who came down to earth on a rainbow. Some say that Oro offered the pearl front this oyster to the beautiful princess of Bora Bora as a sign of his eternal love.
The scientific term for Te Ufi left is Pinctada margaritifera , most commonly known as the black lipped oyster. In the 19th century, its shell, like that of many oysters, was in great demand by the European button industry. As a result, commercial shell harvesting operations by local and foreign entities took place annually in the lagoons of Tuamotu and Gambier, two of the five archipelagoes that make up French Polynesia.
In the days of such lucrative shell harvesting, one would have to open more than 15,000 oysters before finding a natural pearl.
So even before the secret of pearl cultivation was discovered, the Tahitian pearl had earned a reputation for value and rarity. This reputation was further enhanced by its use in the jewelry of the world's royalty and nobility. Soon the Tahitian pearl became known as the "pearl of queens and queen of pearls".
The most famous of these natural black pearls was called "Azra". It was the centerpiece of a necklace that was part of the Russian crown jewels.
Today, the Tahitian pearl has become an exotic gem sought after by celebrities and pearl aficionados alike.
The Pearl Culturing Industry
In 1961 the first culturing experiments took place in the lagoon of Bora Bora. The harvest of 1963 proved conclusively, that a pearl culturing industry in the region was possible. As a result of the success on Bora Bora, several pearl farms were set up on the islands of Manihi, Marutea and Mangareva to increase French Polynesia's pearl production.
The process of raising a pearl oyster is a long one and requires considerable care and attention due to the fragility of the oyster species.
At certain times of the year the black-lipped pearl oyster, which lives attached to coral found in Polynesia lagoons, produces spawn that is then fertilized in the water. After floating freely for a month, the baby oysters, known as "spat", either fix themselves to the coral or perish buried in the sand.
The pearl farmers collects the spat by submerging artificial collectors in the lagoon. They are then reared on underwater lines for more than three years. During this time, the oysters are meticulously cared for to ensure their health and vitality.
When the oyster reaches maturity it is ready for grafting or nucleation, whereby a small, round piece of mother-of-pearl (called a nucleus) is surgically inserted into the body of the oyster. The introduction of this nucleus stimulates the secretion of a pearly substance called "nacre", which is applied in layers by the oyster to the nucleus.
After several years of nacre secretion over the nucleus a pearl is formed. The pearl is then carefully removed and the oyster put back in the lagoon to recuperate. Although the process sounds simple, the delicate nature of this species of oyster means that of every hundred oysters nucleated, only thirty will produce pearls. Out of these thirty pearls, only one or two will be perfect gems.
The Quality of Tahitian Pearls
A Tahitian cultured pearl consists of thick pearly layers containing organic substances and calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite. Most commonly, these layers are referred to as nacre.
Tahitian cultured pearls are best known for their diversity of size, shape, quality and many shades of natural colors, ranging front pale gray to anthracite black.
The trade designation "Tahitian cultured pearl" is reserved exclusively for cultured pearls obtained front the Pinctada margaritifera pearl oyster, found in French Polynesia. According to government accord, such pearls must exhibit a continuous pearly layer over at least 80% of the pearl surface and cannot reveal the underlying nucleus.
Any pearls that do not satisfy these criteria may not be called a "Tahitian cultured pearl" and be deemed a reject. Reject pearls are best described as calcite pearls, organic pearls and pearls whose nucleus is visible to the naked eye.
Tahitian Pearls Classification
When harvesting pearls, the farmer performs an initial sort of-this crop, discarding all the rejects. He then performs a more detailed separation of his crop sorting out pearls by size, shape and quality.
Size
Pearls are most commonly expressed in millimeters. Tahitian cultured pearls generally range in size from 8 mm to 16 mm.
Shape
There are four basic shapes that Tahitian cultured pearls come in:
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Round and Semi Round
Round pearls are almost-perfect spheres whose diameter variation rate is less than 2 %. Semi round pearls are slightly imperfect spheres whose diameter variation rate is greater than 2 % but less than 5 %.
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Semi-Baroque
Semi-baroque exhibits at least one axis of rotation and are subdivided into drop, button, and oval shapes.
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Baroque
Baroque pearls do not have any axis of rotation and are asymmetrical in shape.
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Circled
Circled or ringed pearls are characterized by regular streaks or concave rings, perpendicular to an axis of rotation over more than one third of the pearl's surface. |
Q U A L I T Y
This is determined by observing the special features of the pearl's surface and luster. Special surface features are considered to be any flaw in the nacre that is visible to the naked eye such as pits, bumps, scratches, deposits, ridges and cracks.
Luster is evaluated according to reflection of light on the pearl's surface. The brighter the reflection, the higher the luster.
Tahitian cultured pearls are defined by four basic qualities: A, B, C, D.
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Quality A
An "A Quality" pearl is one that has no surface flaws or very slight flaws that are visible to the naked eye and confined to less than 10% of its surface. All "A Quality" pearls exhibit a very high luster.
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Quality B
A "B Quality" pearl is one that exhibits high or medium luster with some flaws visible to the naked eye and distributed over less than one third of the surface. |
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Quality C
A "C Quality" pearl is one that exhibits several visible flaws, distributed over more than one third of the surface and exhibits a medium quality luster. |
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Quality D
A "D Quality," pearl is one that exhibits a large amount of visible flaws over more than two thirds of the surface, regardless of luster. |
The Quality of Tahitian Pearls
At the producers' stage, quality evaluation is based solely on size, shape and quality. However, when Tahitian cultured pearls enter the wholesale trade pipeline further evaluation and pricing will be based on the demand of the consumer, the rarity of the size, shape and color of the pearl and the final destination of the pearl.
Generally large, rounder pearls which exhibit a high luster with few flaws will still command the most premium prices. In addition, special pearl colors such as peacock, aubergine and pistachio will carry a premium price because of their rarity.
A Range of Products
Due to the wide range of iridescent colors and unusual shapes of Tahitian cultured pearls, one can find a vast array jewelry styles employing these fine gems. From trendy, "cutting edge" designs to classic "haute joaillerie", the unique nature of Tahitian pearls makes them adaptable to a myriad of jewelry design concepts.
This gem's fairly large size provides a visibility and presence that most other precious stones or other types of pearls cannot provide within the same price range. |
Miths, leyends and histories about the sea
SEA MONSTERS
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Asparas : Water nymphs of the Native American tradition. They often appear playing the flute.
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Aughisky : An Aughisky is an Irish water-horse. It is said that they come out of the sea and gallop along the shore, or sometimes through fields. Anyone who could catch one and lead it away from the shore, it would be a wonderful mount. But if it sees the sea it would gallop back into the waters, carrying the rider with it and ripping it to pieces.
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Blue Men of the Minch : They used to inhabit the eastcoast, particularly the straights between Long Island and Shiant Island and were known for wrecking passing ships. The only way to save the ship is for the captain to talk to them in rhyme and get the last word. They live in underwater caves and were ruled by a chieftain.
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Bunyip : Monstrous creatures from Aboriginal land. The bunyip were rumored to live in swamps, lakes, and rivers of the Austrailian Outback. They are believed to bring disease and are roughly the size of a cow. Usually the bunyip leave humans alone but when their source of food is lacking, they will take humans under the water to their death.
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Bucca : Bucca is a Cornish spirit, possibly once a fertility god because fishermen used to leave fish and spilled ale for them so that the Bucca would give a good catch.
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Charybdis : A whirlpool monster featured in Homer's
Odyssey : Charybdis would down the ocean three times a day, then spit it back up. In the Odyssey , the hero Odysseus lost his ship and men to Charybdis. Odysseus managed to save himself by grabbing onto a fig tree that grew over Charybdis's mouth.
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Chrodh Mara : Chrodh Mara are Highland water-cattle that are not nearly as dangerous as the Highland water-horse. They are hornless, dun in color and their ears are rounded. If a water-bull mates with one of a heard of earthly cow the stock is a great improvement but a water-cow joins and earthly herd she must be forever watched for if not she will make for a fairy hill, which will open for her, the cow herd will follow her and they will be lost in the hill.
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Each Usige : These Highland water-horses are fierce, much more so than any other water-horse. Generally, the Each Usige are beautiful horses. But beware! If you mount the horse it will carry you off at great speed into the water where only your liver will be eaten. Do not even touch the spirit for it is said that the skin of an each usige is sticky and you are not able to tear yourself away from it after touching it.
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Glaistig : Half human and half goat, this beautiful female water spirit tries to hide her goat half under a green robe. She invites men to dance with her, then she drinks their blood. She is, however, kind to children and the elderly. She even herds cattle for farmers at times.
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Hydra : A many-headed serpent creature of Greek myths. Whenever a Hydra head was cut off, two more would grow back in its place. One of the heads was immortal, and could not be killed by conventional means. To further complicate matters, the Hydra's blood was poisonous, burning and chewing through whatever it touched. The Hydra was killed by the Greek hero Hercules, who cut off the Hydra's heads, burning the stumps with a torch. The immortal head was cut off and buried, where it sleeps to this day.
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Jormandgund : The World-Serpent of Norse mythology, Jormandgund was a monstrous serpent encircling Midgard, the world of men. Jormangund was the spawn of the evil god Loki and the witch Angerboda. He is fated to kill and be killed by Thor, the World's Defender.
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Kappa : A kappa is a Japanese water spirit that pulls children into the water, drowning them. They are said to be very intelligent and feed on cucumbers and blood. A kappa's head must always be wet and they cannot survive outside of water for very long.
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Kelpie : In old Scotland, the Kelpie is an evil water devil that lurks in lakes and rivers. It usually takes the shape of a young horse.
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Naiads : Water nymphs were depicted as having human, not mermaid, form. They could only survive as long as the fresh water source they inhabited did not dry up.
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Ningyo : Japanese in ori | |
