2017 Session 13: The Archaeology of Manila Galleons, Past, Present and Future

2017 Session 13: The Archaeology of Manila Galleons, Past, Present and Future

This session will focus on a specific part of the rich maritime history of the Asia Pacific region, the Manila Galleons. These ships traversed between continents surrounding the Pacific, transporting goods from India and China to Peru and Spain via New Spain, for 250 years, changing the cultural landscape of South East Asia and America, transforming cultures, peoples, technology, spreading ideas, plants and customs, among many other significant processes. This session explores the archaeological work done to date in regard to these ships and the work being done now in several parts of the world. Furthermore, the session will explore the future ways in which this topic can contribute to present societies. In regard to past works, papers from the excavations done on the Concepcion in the Mariana Islands, and the San Diego in the Philippines are a good opportunity for archaeologists that worked decades ago to present part of that research in a new light as well as present work not yet available to researchers.

Current works from the Philippines, Spain, Japan, USA, and Mexico will be presented. In this part of the session, interesting points of contact between projects and researchers will be encouraged. Different methodologies and research strategies will help projects see their strong points and adapt new ones. Trade, nautical archaeology, among other topics can be presented. Current works will demonstrate that the topic is very much alive and growing.
Papers on future research objectives can contribute to map the road ahead, looking at different lines of inquiry related to the Galleons.

Above all, the session seeks to make this research topic a celebration of diversity and common heritage that brings people together in our common cultural traits and admiration for our differences. The session will bring interested researchers together to collaborate in the diverse projects.

Roberto Junco
INAH Mexico, Mexico