Reburial and redepositioning. A frequently used word in the context of in-situ preservation is ‘reburial’. Before discussing the ways to do this, we should ask ourselves what the word actually means in an underwater archaeological context. The word can be used for different situations. A site may be in need of reburial because it has been uncovered by natural or direct/indirect human activity. This is the case for a vast majority of the sites that are currently being conserved in situ, since most sites were found because they surfaced the seabed.82 Moreover, if sites are fully covered, there is usually no need for active in-situ protection and reburial. This kind of reburial of cultural-historical material that is under threat fits perfectly with the aims and definitions of in-situ preservation and management.83 Sometimes, however, reburial is used for mitigation after excavation. This may be part of the overall management plan; a way of taking care of a site. Reburial may then mean, for example, temporary protection, covering exposed timbers between excavation seasons,84 but also semi-permanent reburial after the termination of an excavation or even relocation of a site that has not undergone any excavation.85 These kinds of reburial may not fully coincide with the definition of in-situ preservation as previously laid out in this thesis.86 Reburial of excavated sites may take place precisely on the spot where the objects were found, in an attempt to preserve the integrity and/or spirit of the place and at least a part of its context, if not all. However, reburial can also take place in the area at large. Similar natural conditions may then be taken into account, but by moving the objects, the integrity of the separate elements of the site will then be lost.87 Reburial has also become a means of mitigation against the high costs of excavation due to the conservation of materials that is often required afterwards. With the reburial of timbers and other finds, this can be avoided. There is something to say for this, not to mention the over-full museums and archaeological depots.88 There are also situations in which it is thinkable that there is no time to raise funds for conservation, subsequent long-term storage and/or display of all the finds, including the hull struc- ture.89 This may be the case, for example, when, due to sub-sea development, it may be necessary to completely excavate a site and recover artefacts as part of a rescue programme. We must ask ourselves whether we should ...
