Statue long lost from the Titanic discovered
By Alimat Aliyeva
A bronze statue from the Titanic, long considered lost forever, was discovered during a recent expedition by a company that owns the rights to lift objects from the wreck site, Azernews reports.
From Georgia, which legally owns the rights to the 112-year-old wreck, she completed her first expedition since 2010 and presented new photos from the wreck site.
The crew spent 20 days on site and returned to Providence, Rhode Island. They took more than two million images of the crash with the highest resolution ever taken. The team also fully mapped the wreck and its debris field, using advanced equipment that will be used to improve understanding of the site.
At the top of the list of encouraging discoveries was a 2-foot-tall bronze statuette of the Roman goddess Diana. Known as the Diana of Versailles, she served as the centerpiece of the first-class waiting room and embodied the luxurious design of the Titanic.
Several expeditions took part in the search for this unique artifact, each of which was led by RMST researcher James Penk. On the last day of the 2024 expedition, with only a few hours left, Diana was found and photographed. According to the company, it was a great honor to publish these spectacular visual effects, shot with Marine Imaging Technologies, and demonstrate the beautiful and intricate details of Diana, which have not been seen for over a century.
After 13 days spent searching for the wreckage, the expedition team was thrilled when they first saw the bow of the ship. However, the moment of excitement and anticipation was immediately overshadowed by a significant change in the familiar silhouette. A 15-foot-long section was missing from the once miraculously preserved railing surrounding the forward deck of the forecastle on the port side.
"The discovery of the statue of Diana was an exciting moment. But we are saddened by the loss of the iconic bow railing and other evidence of destruction, which has only strengthened our commitment to preserving the Titanic's legacy," said Thomasina Ray, Director of Collections at RMS Titanic. "Over the next few weeks and months, we will conduct a more thorough analysis of the condition of the Titanic and its changes over time."
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