MaSS (Maritime Stepping Stones)
MaSS is an online database in which locations and stories of maritime heritage are mapped and are made accessible to a wide audience.
Short for Maritime Stepping Stones, MaSS primarily gives an overview of Dutch shipwrecks, but also highlights other sites that are important for maritime archaeology as a discipline. Shipwrecks, ports, quays, bridges, waterways, warehouses, drowned landscapes with prehistoric remains and sunken villages: all are maritime heritage. And it is growing day by day!
Factual data, stories and a variety of sources such as map material, photos, documents, drawings, videos and 3d models can be found in the database. If available, sites also have references to articles and reports or links to various other products. See for example the Rooswijk virtual dive tour.
Because a large part of Dutch maritime heritage lies beyond our national borders, MaSS has an international character. In order to expand our database, we have partnered up with the Nautical Archaeological Digital Library (NADL), a community of maritime archaeologists from all over the world. Maritime heritage occupies an important place in archaeology, but is still largely invisible. NADL and MaSS have a shared goal to increase the visibility of maritime archaeology worldwide and emphasize its social importance. One of the objectives is therefore to literally put maritime heritage on the map, to tell stories and thus to create more awareness and support for the importance of maritime heritage. NADL has chosen to use MaSS as a way to do this and will be adding shipwrecks from all over the world.
Use of MaSS
This database is made for archaeologists, volunteers and anyone else interested in maritime heritage. You can visit the website with or without an account. Registered users can discuss sites, report errors, add information or add new sites.