Voyages in time

While working at Townsville General Hospital in 1999, I was approached by the local museum to x‐ray some artefacts from two shipwrecks. The excavated artefacts, mostly covered in coral and barely recognisable, were from the historically and scientifically significant shipwrecks of the Bounty and Pandora. With the aid of radiography, the conservator was better able to assess, handle and restore these valuable artefacts, which helps further research and education into maritime archaeology. With this material evidence, archaeologists can draw more accurate conclusions about a variety of issues regarding life in the 18th century, while we retain a permanent display to show people the importance of archaeological conservation in the role of history.