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The article focuses on studies focused on communities and peoples marginalized in the past often must contend with their erasure both in archives and in the material record, and run the risk of reproducing those erasures in the present. Topics include examines such is the case of maritime communities in South America under Spanish colonial rule.

Recent work undertaken by the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project in the territorial waters of Bulgaria, uncovered 37 Ottoman-Period shipwrecks, demonstrating the high density of seafaring activities in the Black Sea. Though the finds are important in understanding Ottoman seafaring technology, they provide little information about life on board. The Kitten shipwreck remains the sole fully excavated nautical site of this period in the Black Sea. This article discusses artifacts found on board this late eighteenth- early nineteenth-century shipwreck, excavated on the southern Bulgarian coast. The finds offer insights into shipboard life, the religious background of the crew, and support historical references to the family nature of seafaring ventures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stylistic features of the Westernization period art which is developed in the capital city of Istanbul are also seen in the form and decoration programs of the tombstones made in the Western Asia Minor Region in the 18th and 19th centuries. Eleven marble tombstones dated to the first half of the 19th century in Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology also reflect the artistic taste of the period in which they are made. Tombstones 1-8 have capstones in triangular form and tombstone number 9-11 has a floral cap. The tombstones are classified according to the subject of their decoration program as architectural depictions (1 -4), mosques and vases-bowls with floral depictions (5-7), mosques and acanthus depictions (8), floral depictions (9-10), and depictions of stylized tree of life in a vase (11). The decorations on the tombstones, all of which belong to women, appear in the capstones, in the composition of the arches that separates the capstones and inscriptions, and in the corners of the arches. The motifs in the floral decoration program have symbolic meanings. Stylized acanthus, rose-rosebud, tulip-windflower, cypress are symbols of the Garden of Eden. The mosque depiction is an emphasis that the deceased person in the tomb is Muslim. Mosques and other architectural structures represent a place where the deceased person in that tomb used to live, see or wanted to see. The collocation of the decoration program of the tombstones in the museum has an almost standardized plan that is generated from Istanbul and was developed in Western Asia Minor. The high quality and elaborate craftsmanship of the capstones indicate that they were ordered by people with good financial status. In addition to the idea that the tombstones are manufactured by order in Izmir workshops, it is also possible that they could be made by nomad craftsmen who were working in these workshops or by local craftsmen who were trained by the craftsmen of Izmir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the 60-ton-class patrol boat '72' of the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) was on duty and she accidentally collided with another patrol boat ('207', 200-ton-class) and sank. A month-long search found a small amount of lost items, but neither the crew nor the ship was found. For the first time in 39 years since the accident, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) searched the boat 72 using the latest integrated geophysical techniques. A number of sonar images presumed to be of a sunken ship was acquired using a combined system of side scan sonar and marine magnetometer, operated at an altitude of approximately 30 m from the seabed. At the same time, a strong magnetic anomaly (100 nT) was detected in one place, indicating the presence of an iron ship. A video survey using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) confirmed the presence of a shielding part of a personal firearm at the stern of the sunken vessel. Based on these comprehensive data, the sunken vessel discovered in this exploration was assumed to be '72'. This result is meaningful in terms of future ocean exploration and underwater archaeology, as the integrated system of various geophysical methods is an efficient means of identifying objects present in the water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarises the results of the underwater rescue excavation of the shipwreck of Ses Fontanelles (Mallorca, Balearic Islands). The excavation documented the remains of a vessel, 12 m long and 5 m beam, loaded with two tiers of amphorae, which had set sail from the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. The cargo includes numerous amphorae which were still sealed and bearing tituli picti, allowing for the analysis of their content. There is little doubt that the shipwreck of Ses Fontanelles is a key site for our understanding of third–fourth-century trade in the Western Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a GIS-based approach to mapping Mauritius’ underwater cultural heritage (UCH), integrating historical and archaeological data to visualize and analyze the distribution of shipwrecks and their relationship with the marine environment. By examining the impact of coastal development, tourism, and the MV Wakashio oil spill on UCH, this study demonstrates the value of GIS in assessing both human and environmental threats to shipwreck sites. The project not only contributes to the preservation and management of Mauritius’ unique maritime legacy but also offers a model for other regions seeking to safeguard their biocultural heritage. The integration of GIS with environmental historical archaeology opens new avenues for research, including reconstructing past coastlines, analyzing maritime resource use, and understanding historical navigation. This comprehensive view of human-environment interactions informs policy and promotes sustainable practices protecting both natural and cultural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There are still many difficulties in the recovery and long-term preservation of underwater archaeological artifacts, in situ preservation should be the first choice before further procedures are considered. However, the materials, preservation status, and preservation environment of underwater artifacts are diverse, resulting in many fragile artifacts facing difficult situations. In order to prevent serious damage, it is a safe protective strategy to preserve them in a controlled environment for a long time after excavation. Extraction and transfer of fragile cultural relics are vital parts of this strategy. Due to the complexity of the underwater environment and the vulnerability of fragile artifacts, safety in extraction and transfer still faces enormous challenges. Researchers have developed new materials and technologies to tackle this problem. This paper focuses on introducing and developing prospects to different preservation techniques for fragile artifacts from underwater sites.

The article is a review of the latest European research on the problems of iron corrosion in seawater. Such damages are typical for objects of marine archaeology, in particular shipwrecks. For a long time, the study of such corrosion processes was complicated by the fact that samples taken in seawater quickly oxidized in the air and their composition changed significantly. In the early 1980s, after the development of sampling techniques, the study of underwater artifacts corrosion began to develop faster and more efficiently. First of all, the basic processes of iron corrosion and the factors that stimulate them are discussed in the article. These include sea­water salinity, oxygen concentration, microbiological activity, pH, temperature, and water circulation patterns, which, in turn, influence the prevalence of other parameters. Next, the iron corrosion products characteristic of the marine environment are described in detail. Finally, the role of microorganisms in the corrosion process and their influence on the preservation of the monument are highlighted.

With Virtual Reality (VR) technology maturing and spreading widely in recent years, it is becoming an increasingly useful tool for entertainment and education alike. Its potential to simulate hard to reach environments and emulate unique experiences believably is of great interest for the scientific study of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), in particular for the simulation of real-world dives. VR enriched with techniques from immersive Serious Games (SG) provide an authentic way to enjoy Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) and the sport of diving from the comfort of the user’s home or as a museum exhibit. In this paper we are focusing on the exploration of the wreck of a Roman merchant ship from the 5th century AD, which was found near Veliki Piruzi (Croatia). The images taken by the underwater archaeologists enable a 3D reconstruction of the excavation site. The modular structure of the application makes it very easy to transfer the techniques presented to other excavation sites including information and objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HMS Swift was a British sloop of war which sank in Patagonia - South Atlantic Ocean - in 1770. The wrecksite was discovered in 1982 by local divers from Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and this find originated the development of underwater archaeology in the country. The article presents a comprehensive review of the various research strands addressed throughout many years, and it also reflects on the legacy that the site and the project represents for topics other than archaeology, such as heritage management, museology, and cultural industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-analytical protocol currently in use at Historic England for the investigation of copper alloy artefacts recovered during underwater excavations aims to determine their manufacturing processes, identify repairs, and assess their state of preservation. Each step of the scientific analysis is described, and the results obtained from the study of a selection of copper alloy objects recovered from the Dutch East India Company (VOC) Rooswijk shipwreck (1740) are used as examples of the application of the protocol to gain archaeological, metallurgical, and conservation data. This information is crucial to plan the most appropriate procedures and determine treatment steps for the study and conservation of copper alloy artefacts from the marine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern crime analysts have multiple tools at their disposal, including geographic profiling software and crime prediction software. This study uses said software to analyze data from descriptions of pirate attacks in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in the Caribbean. The results show significant similarities between historical pirates and modern criminals, but also point to important differences. Although both crime prediction and geographic profiling algorithms show a degree of accuracy, many pirates often changed their anchor point, making it difficult to find appropriate crime series. When searching for artifacts related to pirate activity, criminological tools might be helpful, but only if used carefully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime trade routes in Southeast Asia date to at least the last millennium BC evidenced by excavations of port‐cities, entrepôts and early coastal polities in Peninsular Thailand, the Mekong Delta and Island Southeast Asia. This trade network intensified over the next millennium and by the fifteenth century, the number of trade goods throughout Medieval Southeast Asia was prolific. The bulk of studied material comprises trade ceramics, particularly in archaeological investigations of shipwreck cargoes which provide information on regional trading patterns. Although ceramic assemblages constitute the bulk of shipwreck cargo, other types of material have also been found, including the spice star anise. In this paper, we focus on the organic contents from two jars found in the Bakau shipwreck dating to the early fifteenth century AD. The finds are significant as this spice (star anise, Illicium verum) is being transported together with items of high value for trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater cultural heritage (UCH) contributes to history, the arts, the economy and science. The number of intact and easily discoverable UCH sites is decreasing due to excavation in China. To conduct active surveys for mapping archaeological sites, rather than mapping based only on incidental reported finds from fishing operations, a regional archaeological underwater survey method is proposed according to independent geographical units and historical archives. This method is based on the approach used for systematic regional archaeological surveys on land and comprehensively examines similar survey examples. Old port districts, sea routes, fishing zones and naval battle areas are potential targets for this method. From 2012 to 2017, the survey method performed well when applied in the Haitan Strait, China, discovering intact sites, fragmented shipwrecks and numerous interfering objects. The method needs further refinement to eliminate interference and to obtain more detailed information about UCH. The main steps in this method include the selection of potential wreck site areas, the use of sequential equipment and survey line design. Cooperation between archaeologists and surveyors is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of underwater objects in sonar imagery is a key enabling technique, for applications ranging from mine hunting and seabed characterization to marine archaeology. Owing to the nonhomogeneity of the sonar imagery, the majority of detection approaches are geared toward the detection of features in the spatial domain to identify anomalies in the seabed’s background. Yet, when the seabed is complex and includes rocks and sand ripples, spatial features are hard to discriminate, leading to high false alarm rates. With the aim of validating the detection of man-made objects in complex environments, we utilize the expected spectral diversity of reflections. This way, we can differentiate man-made objects’ reflections from the relatively flat frequency response of natural objects’ reflections, such as rocks. Our solution merges a set of preregistered sonar images of the same scene that are obtained at a different center frequency. For low- or high-resolution sonar images, we apply the Jain’s fairness index or the Kullback–Leibler divergence, respectively, to evaluate the spectral diversity of the reflections of a given region of interest and, thus, detect anomalies across the spectrum domain. We test our algorithm over simulated data and over images collected in three designated sea experiments: a data set that we share with the community. The results show that, compared with benchmark schemes, our solution achieves lower false alarm rates while preserving high detection level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation, comprising development, land reclamation and population growth along coastal margins, continues to place significant pressure on the maritime cultural heritage (MCH), particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Thus, there is a growing need for ascertaining the extent of the affected MCH resource and its condition. One such assessment is being undertaken by the Maritime Endangered Archaeology (MarEA) project, which is generating a unique informed database of the maritime resource in the MENA region. Through a regional overview combined with focused assessment on two case studies – Marsa Matruh (Egypt) and Bahrain – this paper demonstrates the threat urbanisation poses and the damage it has inflicted on MCH. The analyses and documentation that MarEA produces via remote sensing, desk-based and field-based assessments, constitutes a valuable resource that, at the very least, exists in digital perpetuity. It establishes a record that can be drawn upon to formulate targeted strategies and initiatives inclusive of the maritime cultural heritage resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WAS—Waterscape Archaeology in Sicily—project is dedicated to underwater cultural heritage mapping, knowledge and awareness of the cultural heritage, dissemination, and analysis of the submerged environment concerning the coast. The prototype investigation site presented here is Isola delle Femmine (PA, Italy). This paper highlights the archaeological discovery with a description of the main finds, across a multidisciplinary approach, carried out with low-cost technology, increasing sustainable diving, and underlining the relationship between submerged and open-air historical evidence. Our studies address the realization of new underwater archaeological itineraries connected to local history. This text provides a historical-archaeological introduction to understanding the context of the site and, with some geological notes, illustrates the phases of the research with a presentation of the main artifacts, with a focus on the methodology and the techniques of the surveys and the usefulness of underwater photogrammetry and 3D modeling with a particular focus on the tourism application in the diving centers. Our work has allowed for the creation of two new underwater archaeological itineraries of Sicily. The innovative aspects of our project are linked to a new holistic approach in the context of the scientific synergy between multiple disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of the history of the research in deep water archaeology in Italy and the recent activities carried out by Fondazione Azionemare, in collaboration with the Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici of the Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Through a preliminary presentation of some shipwrecks dated to the Roman period, discovered by the Fondazione Azionemare and investigated, thanks also to photogrammetry, with the archaeologists of the Venetian university, this article analyses the characteristics and the potentialities of these contexts, which present an excellent level of conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of known prehistoric underwater cultural heritage (UCH) sites on the Australian inner shelf stands in stark contrast to the thousands of sites revealed elsewhere in the world. Two recent claims—Dortch et al. (D2019) and Benjamin et al. (B2020)—put forward the first in situ (i.e., primary context) UCH sites in the shallow waters of the Dampier Archipelago, North West Australia, each arguing that the stone artefact scatters are at least 7000 years old and are now submerged because of postglacial sea‐level rise. We present new hydrodynamic modelling and data on coastal erosion and bathymetry, and reassess each site's sedimentary setting and archaeological site‐formation history. D2019 and B2020 clearly present lithic cultural artefacts, but the arguments for their sites being of primary context and reflecting early Holocene land surfaces are mistaken. Rather, these sites occur in the intertidal zone, and many or all artefacts are likely to have been reworked. Sites of secondary context, if treated appropriately, can inform our understanding of site‐formation process and change, and may support more powerful contributions to submerged archaeology than attempts to seek the first or the oldest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex and constantly changing environment of underwater excavation sites makes it extremely difficult to protect fragile cultural artifacts during excavation and to keep them intact in situ. It has mostly been through the control of conditions above water that these fragile relics have been extracted. Currently, the temporary solidity of a material named veratraldehyde can provide some temporary structural strength to relics underwater, allowing them to be brought to the surface and be handled on land. This material is, however, not perfect, and the search for better materials to enable the extraction of very fragile historical relics from below the surface of the water is still necessary. In this article, a large number of materials or substances were screened in comparison with veratraldehyde for efficacy in this process, and it was found that 4-dihydrochromone performed better and proved to be more suitable than veratraldehyde for this purpose. It was found that 4-dihydrochromone has a more suitable underwater crystallization time, higher compressive strength, and lower crystal shrinkage than veratraldehyde. Finally, 4-dihydrochromone was used to simulate the extraction of fragile underwater relics and was found to successfully strengthen the aging wooden woven frame to a sufficient degree that it could be transported onto land and restored to the state it was originally in while it was still underwater. This shows that 4-dihydrochromone is a superior material to use in the extraction process and that its ability to temporarily reinforce and extract fragile underwater cultural relics is better than that of veratraldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined analysis is made of the structure of the St. Petersburg mud volcano and the lake bottom surface surrounding it using bathymetric, seismoacoustic, backscatter, and water column data. A high-precision digital elevation model with a horizontal resolution of up to 10 m has been developed for the bottom surface in the area of the volcano. By analyzing the resulting model, it is possible to update the morphometric parameters of the underwater structure under consideration and prepare a detailed morphological description. It has been found that the volcanic edifice consists of several ridgelike parts located on the wings of the Gidratnyi Fault and crossing it. A canyon-shaped and curved in plan 800-m wide valley was mapped to the southeast of the fault. A graphical representation of backscatter data with separation by types of sedimentary layers is created via a comparison of the intensity of the reflected signal and expected mathematical model values. Based on the results of data analysis, it has been established that the mud volcano mainly consists of clay with the possible inclusion of relatively large fragments (up to 10 cm). Presumably there are also large fragments on the bottom surface around the volcano; however, fine-grained fractions (sandy, clayey, and silty) are dominant. A three-dimensional visualization of the water column data is presented for the study area with the detected outcrops of gas in the form of two gas flares with the observed heights of 800 and 700 m. According to a statistical sample of the values of the reflected signal amplitudes, the intensity of gas release in the flares differs by approximately 7 times. The seismoacoustic data of the chirp profiler indicate the possible presence of gas hydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syria's coastal and nearshore zone contains a significant, but under-researched, record of maritime cultural heritage (MCH) ranging from prehistory to the present. This is exemplified by a lack of underwater investigations, but also limited investigation of key onshore maritime sites such as ports and harbours. There is also a lack of specialist in-country management regarding maritime cultural heritage research and protection. This situation has been worsened by the ongoing conflict (since 2011), which has reduced (already limited) field investigation. To assist in the advancement of Syrian maritime archaeology, this paper presents a baseline assessment which makes use of a geospatial database generated from satellite imagery as well as both published and grey literature. This assessment reviews past coastal environment changes affecting the Syrian littoral, and then highlights past disturbances and potential future threats impacting the MCH. This is done through analysis of all coastal/nearshore sites documented to date and showcased in more detail using two case studies: Tabbat al-Hammam and Ras Ibn Hani. This enables discussion of the current state of Syrian maritime archaeology and suggests ways forward for its future management and investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For millennia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has been a culturally dynamic zone, bounded by maritime societies dependent on the sea for communication, trade and livelihoods. The archaeological evidence of these past societies represents an extraordinary physical legacy of human endeavour and presence across this region, contributing to senses of place, identity and belonging amongst contemporary coastal communities. However, the coastal landscapes and marine environment of the MENA region are undergoing a period of profound change, associated with large-scale human development and climate change. In order to assess this change and the level of impact on the resource, the Maritime Endangered Archaeology project (MarEA) was established in 2019 to document cultural heritage sites and landscapes across the coastal and near-shore zones of the survey region. This paper introduces the work of the project and outlines a series of case studies presented in this volume that are representative of the variety and depth of work being undertaken within the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Cyrenaica Coastal Survey (CCS), a collaborative project between the Maritime Endangered Archaeology project and the Department of Antiquities (DoA) Cyrenaica in partnership with the Universities of Al Bayda and Benghazi in Libya. Since the Arab Spring in 2011 and the subsequent civil unrest in Libya, heritage professionals, the DoA, and various individuals interested in heritage have struggled to safeguard heritage sites across the country, as policies and laws that protected archaeological sites were no longer reinforced and adhered to in the wake of the revolution. This lack of finances, capacity, and governmental support led to an unprecedented loss of archaeological sites since 2011. The CCS survey records the current condition of maritime sites along the Cyrenaican coast. The project focuses on the smaller, lesser known, coastal heritage sites that are not as well studied as the much larger classical period port towns of Apollonia, Tocra, or Ptolemais. This article will focus on the results of the first phase of the project between ancient Phycus (modern Zawiet el-Hamama) and Kainopolis (modern Al-Ogla). The results of the first stage of the Cyrenaica Coastal Survey provides a snapshot of the damages and threats that coastal heritage faces in Libya, most notably (often unregulated) building activities, clearance, sand mining, and coastal erosion. Furthermore, this article highlights the importance of remote collaboration between UK institutions, in-country partners, and heritage authorities, especially in countries where the discipline of maritime archaeology has been established more recently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime cultural heritage (MCH) resources are non-renewable; research frameworks and mitigation plans to study and address the threats to these are essential, particularly throughout the coastal Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In Morocco, frameworks and plans addressing and incorporating MCH in the coastal zone have been recently established. To assist in their continued development, this article presents the case study of the Moroccan Atlantic coastal city of Essaouira, examined by the Maritime Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa Project (MarEA). The aim is to demonstrate the potential in a multi-faceted methodology to identify changes in coastal landscapes and their impact on MCH, based on environmental and archaeological data, supplemented by historic and satellite imagery. The data are collected through desk-based analyses (DBA) that are then ground-truthed. The case study demonstrates an effective and efficient approach that provides high-resolution data from which specific processes and threats can be identified. This analysis can serve as a basis for recommendations and future heritage management practices and research strategies, not only at Essaouira, but for MCH resources within rich coastal landscapes regionally and nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical cyclones are among the most detrimental hazards to the environment, societies, and economies, each year affecting millions of people and resulting in substantial casualties and material destructions in coastal communities. In this context, maritime cultural heritage, encompassing material evidence for the engagement of people with the sea, both on land and under water, is particularly vulnerable. Despite the significant number of archaeological sites exposed to tropical cyclones and other extreme sea-level events, maritime cultural heritage in the MENA region is rarely included in coastal vulnerability indices or incorporated in mitigation strategies, disaster management, sustainability, and resilience policies. In this study we examine the impact of tropical cyclones on the maritime archaeology of Oman with emphasis on the Dhofar region. This paper builds on existing coastal research in the Dhofar region—an area identified as the most cyclone-prone administrative region in Oman, but also an area that contains substantial archaeological remains. Central among Dhofar's maritime cultural heritage is Al-Baleed, a Medieval seaport with unparalleled evidence of engagement with international trade networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decades, the popularity of video games has been increasing thanks to their unique ability to engage their audience and create empathy. Among them, serious games have additional purposes besides entertainment, such as learning and behaviour change. Serious games, in fact, have been successfully applied to different fields, including education, health, tourism, and cultural heritage. In this context, the paper describes a novel serious game developed for increasing awareness and promoting the Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH). In particular, the paper focuses on the Dive in the Past Serious Game which allows users to simulate a virtual dive into the Mediterranean Sea to explore accurate and life-sized 3D reconstructions of underwater archaeological sites. The purpose of the game is twofold: to engage diver and non-diver tourists into a virtual interactive exploration of underwater sites through digital storytelling and challenges; to increase awareness and knowledge on Mediterranean UCH. This work has been carried out in the context of the MeDryDive project, an EU co-funded under the COSME Programme, which aims to create personalized dry dive experiences for the promotion of Mediterranean UCH sites as distinctive tourism destinations.

The nautical term ὑποπλέω is a hapax legomenon used twice in Acts 27 in the context of Paul's captivity voyage to Rome. This article begins by examining how the word has been translated in verses 4 and 7 in relation to other sailing terms in the chapter. The varying translations, particularly of verse 4, are dependent on the interpretation of the journey's route. Next the depiction of the journey in some Bible atlases is discussed. The atlases typically show two different routes around Cyprus, again dependent on how ὑποπλέω is interpreted. The voyages of Herod and Lucian in the north-eastern Mediterranean are also examined for interpretative clues. Mediterranean geography, nautical archaeology, and seafaring praxis will also contribute to a suggested translation and interpretation of the word's uses in this pericope in Acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]