Why Underwater Archaeology is Important

What is Archaeology     

Archaeology is the scientific study of the human past through the investigation of artifacts (the physical remains of material culture), structures, the use of animals and plants, and human remains. Its goal is greater knowledge about past human cultures and behavior. Underwater archaeology carries these studies into a specialized environment, one containing numerous challenges and rewards for archaeological investigators.

Type of Archaeology    

• Classical Archaeology
• Historical Archaeology
• Underwater Archaeology
• Ethno-Archaeology

What is the Underwater Archaeology
The majority of underwater archaeologists specialize in the study of nautical archaeology: the study of the construction and operation of all types of prehistoric and historic watercraft. For these specialists, shipwrecks are the focus of research, many of which (but by no means all) may be found underwater.

Why Underwater Archaeology is Important

Underwater archaeology is a sub-discipline, which studies submerged sites, artifacts, human remains and landscapes. ...Archaeological sites located under water are an importantsource of historic information. Often they contain, due to the lack of oxygen, material that is lost on comparable sites on dry land.

underwater Archaeological excavation

Although underwater archaeologists generally use the same research and field methods as other archaeologists, theirwork environment requires them to make use of special equipment and tools. The first thing that anunderwater archaeologist needs right off the bat is scuba equipment and dive training.

Techniques

The surveying, excavation and preservation of sites are important phases of the process of underwater archaeological research.

A variety of archaeological sciences are used in underwater archaeology:

• The study of history and writings relating historic events,
• Physics, information sciences, and chemistry, 
• Cultural anthropology, which studies the different cultures and their variation, examining the impact of interchange,
• Dendrochronology, which serves to date timbers,
• Archaeobotany and archaeozoology to understand plant and animal material (for instance the identification of pollen samples, seeds or animal skeletons),
• X-ray of concretions to identify about their interior or to make writings visible,
• Geology, which can inform about soil movements transforming a site or changes in sea level, erosion or 
• deposition of sediment material.

Underwater Archaeological tools

Most “tools of the trade” used on terrestrial archaeological digs are used for underwater excavations as well. Hand trowels, square units, clipboards, pencils, tape measures, and other hand toolsare all used underwater to excavate sites as they are used on land.


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