The Next 50 Years of Archaeology Underwater

Summary

Archaeology underwater has experienced a global renaissance both in terms of the rate of new discoveries and the number of scholars involved in the research.  This is particularly the case for the archaeology of submerged prehistoric sites, which has moved from a novelty to a major arena for understanding some of the most critical events in human history.  While investigations of shipwrecks and submerged sites share some common methods and technologies – they differ greatly in the kinds of questions posed, and the research approaches needed to answer them.  As the scope of underwater archaeology expands in time, space, and methods – what will the next 50 years hold? This paper investigates the emerging importance of underwater prehistoric archaeology, considers how it is likely to develop in the future, and examines the intersection of historic and prehistoric submerged site research on the edge of this advancing frontier.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions) 2017   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2017

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 331