THG ASSISTS IN REDISCOVERY OF LOST ARTIFACT
We are honored to announce that during RMS Titanic Inc.’s recent expedition to the Titanic wreck site, our team was instrumental in the rediscovery of "Diana of Versailles,” a bronze statuette that once graced Titanic's First Class Lounge. Seen only once since the sinking, Diana was thought to
be lost in Titanic’s expansive debris field; a 2-foot-tall needle in a deep-sea haystack.
Following an invitation to assist on this expedition, our researchers scoured footage from previous RMST dives for artifacts of interest. This led to a sighting of what we believed to be Diana and a rough search area from which to work. Our representative on the research vessel led multiple excursions away from the focus of the expedition to find this unique artifact. After three unsuccessful attempts and a few sleepless nights for our researchers, Diana was found and photographed with just hours remaining on the expedition’s final day.
Our team is thrilled to help give this priceless work of art her first audience in 38 years. In the harsh conditions of 3,780 meters sub-sea, little life survives, but among the twisted steel and broken glass, our researchers and RMST’s expedition team have proven once more that Titanic has beautiful stories left to tell.
To ALL our Patrons, YOU HELPED REDISCOVER DIANA. We would never have been approached by RMST to partner, never have been invited to go on the expedition and certainly wouldn't have found this artifact without all of your support. With your help we have provided the Titanic community with something truly priceless. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
For more details, visit expedition.discovertitanic.com
And tune in to an upcoming episode of the WITNESS TITANIC podcast for a first-hand account of this rediscovery!
Comments (15)
it is so remarkable that they discovered this
While listening to the podcast, I was wondering what the difference between this expedition to map the wreck and the one done a few years ago. If the entire debris field was going to be filmed, wouldn't they find it anyway?
Was the statue buried? I'm just curious. It's a well-preserved piece... 38 years of hiding in plain sight. I'd love to learn more about the pieces not found...
I was just watching the discussion on this very orniment with you as guest star on Oceanliner Designs 2nd live stream
She had quite the journey. To be made wherever she was made and then transported to the RMS Titanic and fitted to her 1st class lounge fireplace mantle. Where she sat for days weeks who knows when she was installed. To then be ripped off her mantle on April 15th 1912 and thrown 2 1/2 miles down to the sea floor. Where she stayed in total darkness for over 70 years until being found in 1986, only to be lost for another 38 years and to be rediscovered in 2024, 112 years after she hit the ocean floor. Based on the plans to rescue her. Hopefully soon she’ll grace the surface world once more. Though the world she came from is now long gone and a new world has took its place. It’ll be nice to let her see the sunlight again.
THG team keep surprising us. Hat down gentlemen. Can't wait to hear the whole story on Witness Titanic's podcast by our inquiry chairman James. Thanks for reminding me why I support this amazing project. Throughout years this THG project has become so much more. Utmost respect and gratitude for everything that you do...🙏
If only the missing CHERUB from first class main staircase would be close-by xd
Yes where are they? Only one small one from one of the landings I believe has been found. The larger ones have been lost. 😞
Hopefully on the next expedition she can be recovered! Great job!
OMG I want to touch her!
that picture quality deep at 3800 metres is insane!
Amazing news! How did you manage to find such a needle in a haystack? Do you do LIDAR scans over the debris fields and investigate anomalies that kinda looked like the statue or were certain sections of the debris field more likely to contain artifacts from that area of the ship based on previous studies? I imagine the deposition of artifacts wouldve been rather chaotic but who knows
Amazing, congratulations, will the statue be recovered on the next expedition? Can't get better refrence to improve the digital model of Diana :) I was listening to the latest "Witness Titanic" Podcast episode and hope the new wreckage scan-technology might figure out in which state the central prop is? Solve the 3 or 4 bladed mystery would be another breakthrough!
NO WAY
Life is definitely full of surprises: after more than 25 years of passion for the Titanic, just a few weeks ago I 3D printed Diana. She is on display on my desk and I contemplate her every day. Now you offer me news of her at the bottom of the ocean. Thank you!