Successful Approaches for Sub-Bottom Data and Submerged Paleolandscapes in the Regulatory Gray Zone

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Underwater archaeological remote sensing survey has been a consistent regulatory requirement for decades. For many years, these surveys emphasized the identification of shipwrecks using side-scan sonar and magnetometers. However, during the last decade the sub-bottom data from these surveys has normalized submerged paleolandscape research, which is no longer a niche activity dominated by researchers and datasets from the Gulf of Mexico. Consistent sub-bottom paleolandform reporting from underwater geophysical survey has created a challenge for regulators and surveyors when existing guidelines do not address sub-bottom datasets, paleolandscapes, and submerged precontact archaeology. This paper discusses how submerged landforms and precontact archaeology may be addressed when regulatory guidance is minimal. I review strategies from successful survey projects and ongoing work. The goal for this paper is to further the discussion of regulatory best-practices for sub-bottom paleolandscape survey, submerged geoarchaeology, and effective paleolandform and underwater archaeology management.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow