Tuesday 27 September 2011

Salvaging the Titanic

Salvaging the Titanic is a history in the making. The salvage efforts are chronicled though films, video, artistic renditions, and oral recordings of the ship wreck. The personnel is guarded and require extensive background checks and security to work the sites.
 The first Titanic artifacts recovered from the arctic waters were sent to France in 1987. That special facility was designed to conserve the artifacts for history. The site is both a conservatory and a research laboratory. Special techniques have been perfected to restore and seal any recovered items. There it goes through the process of restoration and preservation.
 Once the artifacts leave the French facility they are bound to Atlanta (Georgia), the headquarters of the RMA. In Atlanta they are organized for posterity in a laboratory. Rescue efforts have reclaimed stairwells, furniture, safes and luggage, many pieces of equipment, kitchen pots, pans and dramatic chandeliers. There are some lovely pieces of jewelry recovered from the Titanic as well.

A piece of cane from a damaged seat, recovered
from floating wreckage of the Titanic

Several name boards from the lifeboats have been recovered, treated, and placed for sale. Life jackets, seat supports and flags from the lifeboats have been collected and displayed in several traveling displays as well as in the museums.
Nameplate of a lifeboat of the Titanic

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