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| Dr. E. Lee Spence | |
|---|---|
| Name | E. Lee Spence |
| Birth date | 1947 |
| Birth place | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Occupation | Underwater archaeologist; shipwreck diver; author; preservationist |
| Known for | Shipwreck discoveries; underwater archaeology; maritime preservation |
Dr. E. Lee Spence is an American underwater archaeologist, shipwreck explorer, author, and preservation advocate known for pioneering deepwater remote-sensing surveys and historic wreck documentation in the Atlantic and Caribbean. He has worked on wrecks associated with the American Civil War, Spanish-American War, and commercial steamship losses, contributing to maritime heritage through fieldwork, publications, and legal advocacy. Spence's career spans collaboration with universities, museums, government agencies, and private organizations involved in nautical archaeology and historic preservation.
Spence was born in Charleston, South Carolina and raised amid the maritime culture of the Atlantic Ocean and the port city of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. He pursued formal studies related to history and archaeology at regional institutions including College of Charleston and undertook graduate-level research drawing on archival collections at the South Carolina Historical Society and the Library of Congress. Early influences included field archaeology practices from scholars at the Smithsonian Institution and maritime research methods from investigators affiliated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology.
Spence developed techniques for locating and documenting shipwrecks using magnetometer, side-scan sonar, and sub-bottom profiler technologies adopted by investigators at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He led surveys and excavations across the continental shelf near the Atlantic Coast (North America), the Caribbean Sea, and coastal waters adjacent to Florida, Georgia (U.S. state), and South Carolina. His collaborations intersected with professionals from the National Park Service, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and academic teams from the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida. Spence's diving operations engaged with commercial salvage firms and preservation groups, coordinating protocols similar to those used in projects by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and the Maritime Museum community.
Spence claimed a number of notable discoveries including wrecks tied to the American Civil War blockade, steamship losses from the late 19th century, and colonial-era vessels in Caribbean waters. His survey work applied geophysical methods akin to projects undertaken by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Several of his located sites prompted interest from local authorities such as the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and influenced museum displays at institutions like the South Carolina Maritime Museum and the USS Constitution Museum. His findings intersected with historic incidents including ship losses documented in records from the United States Navy and commercial registries overseen by the Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
Spence authored and edited books and articles on shipwrecks, underwater archaeology, and salvage law, publishing with regional presses and contributing to journals frequented by scholars from the Society for Historical Archaeology and the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. His editorial efforts paralleled the dissemination practices of periodicals such as Underwater Archaeology and newsletters associated with the National Maritime Historical Society. He compiled site reports and monographs used by curators at the South Carolina State Museum and by researchers affiliated with the College of Charleston and the Historic Charleston Foundation.
Spence engaged in legal actions and advocacy tied to shipwreck ownership, cultural resource protection, and salvage rights, interacting with statutes and precedents shaped by cases in forums connected to the United States District Court system and maritime law principles rooted in admiralty practice. His preservation campaigns aligned with initiatives from the National Historic Preservation Act stakeholders and influenced local policy through coordination with entities like the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and municipal historic commissions in the City of Charleston. He participated in debates over artifact recovery, site stewardship, and public access, issues commonly addressed by organizations such as the Archaeological Institute of America and the World Monuments Fund.
Over his career Spence received acknowledgments from regional and national bodies involved in maritime heritage, reflecting recognition similar to honors bestowed by the Society for Historical Archaeology, the National Maritime Historical Society, and state-level cultural agencies. His work has been cited in museum exhibitions, conference programs at meetings of the American Historical Association and the Society for American Archaeology, and in commemorative projects organized by local preservation groups including the Historic Charleston Foundation.
Spence's legacy is tied to the expansion of underwater site survey techniques, contributions to shipwreck historiography, and efforts to balance salvage and preservation in coastal regions from Florida to South Carolina and into the Caribbean Sea. His records, reports, and publications continue to inform researchers at institutions such as the College of Charleston, the University of South Carolina, and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, and to support museum exhibits and educational programs developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and regional maritime museums. His career influenced a generation of divers, archaeologists, and preservationists who engage with submerged cultural resources along the southeastern seaboard.
Category:Underwater archaeologists Category:People from Charleston, South Carolina