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| Pornnatcha "Jo" Sankhaprasit (Source: Trowel Blazers) |
Maritime archaeology is a necessary and worthwhile field of study, but it is one that comes with a great deal of risks. These risks are inherent in the collection and preservation of the artifacts that are discovered and recovered from underwater contexts. Maritime archaeologists have to take great care in not damaging or destroying the artifacts during the recovery process, as well as after the artifacts are taken to laboratories outside of their water logged contexts. There are additional challenges and risks to the maritime archaeologists themselves, which are often overlooked. Diving comes with risks, particularly due to pressure changes and equipment malfunctions. This means that there are very few female maritime archaeologists around the world. Pornnatcha “Jo” Sankhaprasit is one of those few, as well as the first maritime archaeologist of her home country of Thailand.
Sankhaprasit grew up in the highlands of Thailand, but when she visited the coasts as a young child she was enamored with the beauty of the ocean. She aspired to explore it further, and despite not knowing how to swim she took her first dive at age 20. She ultimately combined her loves of history, Lara Croft (a fictional character loosely related to archaeology), and diving when she pursued her undergraduate degree in archaeology from Silpakorn University in Bangkok. She ultimately pursued her Masters degree at Flinders University in Australia and furthered her experiences in maritime archaeology.
Throughout her professional and educational experiences she has conducted several investigations throughout the Pacific Ocean in and around Southeast Asia and Australia. One of her most notable investigations was conducted in 2018. She investigated a ship that wrecked sometime between 1350 and 1450, during the Khmer Empire. The ship was used to transport various goods, including food, pottery, lumber, and ivory. Her and her teams work has brought about additional information about the trading and pirate networks that existed at that time.
Currently, Sankhaprasit is employed as an Archaeologist at the Underwater Archaeology division of the Thai government. She hopes that she inspires other women, particularly Thai women, to enter into the field. She recognizes that there are cultural and other barriers to entering the field, but hopefully her role and work will inspire the next generations of female maritime archaeologists.
References
Flinders University. "Meet Our Maritime Archaeology Alumni: Where Are They Now?" n.d. Flinders University. Electronic. 6 December 2024.
Rattanamansuang, Daosiri. "Pornnatcha “Jo” Sankhaprasit: Thailand’s first female underwater archaeologist." Trowel Blazers 21 September 2022. Electronic.
Women Offshore. "A BBC Conversation: ‘Diving into the Past’." 10 August 2017. Women Offshort. Electronic. 6 December 2024.
3 comments:
Maritime archaeology really is a fascinating field. It’s amazing how much dedication and care goes into preserving artifacts from underwater contexts. And it’s inspiring to hear about women like Pornnatcha “Jo” Sankhaprasit making strides in such a challenging area. Her journey from the highlands to the ocean, especially taking that first dive at 20, shows incredible bravery. The investigation of that ship from the Khmer Empire sounds like a significant contribution to our understanding of historical trade networks.
After reading this post, I am amazed by Pornnatcha Jo Sankhaprasit’s groundbreaking work in maritime archaeology. Her journey from growing up in Thailand’s highlands to becoming the country’s first female underwater archaeologist is truly aspirational. She Overcome challenges such as learning to dive as an adult and navigating a male dominated field speaks to her determination. Her research on the 14th-15th century shipwreck offers valuable insights into historical trade and piracy. It’s admirable that she not only contributes to archaeology but also works to inspire more women to enter the field. Her story shows the importance of perseverance and passion in breaking barriers and making meaningful contributions to history showing that women can truly do anything.
The thing that stood out to me most was how incredible it is that she is a woman in this demanding field. Her finding her passion at such a young age is also intriguing . Her first dive was when she was 20 years old. She hopes she can inspire other women to become maritime archaeologists. Learning about the remarkable ship she found that was estimated to have sunk in between 1350-1450 was intriguing to read about the pirates and other things that were on that vessel at the time.
Vanessa Cardenas
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