What is marine archaeology?

This material comes from Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, Cultural Programs Branch, Archaeology & Heritage Planning Unit, 1997 (revised March 1998), Conserving a Future for Our Past: Archaeology, Land Use Planning & Development in Ontario - An Educational Primer and Comprehensive Guide for Non-Specialists. If you still have questions, contact us at info@apaontario.ca and we will try and answer your questions.  more

Marine archaeology, also known as maritime archaeology, is the study of underwater artifacts and landscapes. Often, this means studying shipwrecks, though other interesting submarine archaeological features have been revealed as well, such as the remains of prehistoric campsites in the North Sea, or debris left when an earthquake liquefies the land under a port town, such as Port Royal in the Antilles. Usually, artifacts underwater decay quickly, but in some cases, as few as one in several hundred, the preservation is remarkable, and artifacts that would have decayed or been plundered long ago if on land still remain. One famous example is the wreck of the Mary Rose, a Tudor-era warship that sunk in a battle with the French in 1545. Some of the most fascinating archaeological evidence of the ancient world comes from very old shipwrecks with preserved materials. The oldest shipwrecks to be investigated in the field of marine archaeology are from the Bronze Age, with some ships and ...  more

Archaeology is the study of the past human lives through the physical remains they leave behind. Whether they were left behind a year ago, or hundreds of thousands of years ago. Marine archaeology is the same study but when it gets wet. Rivers, lakes, wells, flooded mine shafts, quarries, canals and not forgetting the sea. Commonly seen as being only ship wrecks, Marine Archaeology is often so much more, sunken cities, all forms of transport, canals and the land surrounding them. Marine archaeology frequently allows archaeologists a glimpse into a time capsule, protected from the destruction that occurs on land, by the water and silts that hide them from clear view.  more

Where can I pursue it in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu? I have completed B.Sc and M.Sc from Mysore University. Rudra via e-mail, Mysore Maritime archaeology (also known as marine archaeology) is a discipline that studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of vessels, shore side facilities, cargoes, human remains and submerged landscapes. One specialty is underwater archaeology, which studies the past through any submerged remains. Another specialty within maritime archaeology is nautical archaeology, which studies vessel construction and use. Maritime archaeology has three important differences from land archaeology. First, structures and artefacts, even organic materials, are sometimes better preserved under water or in bottom sediments especially in freshwater anaerobic environments. A second difference lies in the fact that until recently, submerged sites such as shipwrecks were usually beyond the reach of human intervention or marine salvage, thereby ...  more