Many factors influence the formation of shipwreck sites: the materials from which the ship was built, the underwater environment, and subsequent events such as human activity, storms, and chemical reactions. In this first volume to comprehensively catalogue the physical and cultural processes affecting submerged ships, Matthew Keith brings together experts in diverse fields such as geology, soil and wood chemistry, micro- and marine biology, and sediment dynamics. The case studies identify and examine the natural and anthropogenic processes--corrosion and degradation on one hand, fishing and trawling on the other--that contribute to the present condition of shipwreck sites. The contributors also discuss how these varied and often overlapping events influence the archaeological record. Offering an in-depth analysis of emerging technologies and methods—acoustic positioning, computer modeling, and site reconstruction--this is an essential study for the research and preservation of submerged heritage sites.

Many factors influence the formation of shipwreck sites: the materials from which the ship was built, the underwater environment, and subsequent events such as human activity, storms, and chemical reactions. In this first volume to comprehensively catalogue the physical and cultural processes affecting submerged ships, Matthew Keith brings together experts in diverse fields such as geology, soil and wood chemistry, micro- and marine biology, and sediment dynamics. The case studies identify and examine the natural and anthropogenic processes--corrosion and degradation on one hand, fishing and trawling on the other--that contribute to the present condition of shipwreck sites. The contributors also discuss how these varied and often overlapping events influence the archaeological record. Offering an in-depth analysis of emerging technologies and methods-acoustic positioning, computer modeling, and site reconstruction--this is an essential study for the research and preservation of submerged heritage sites.

This title is a comprehensive survey of maritime archaeology as seen through the eyes of nearly fifty scholars at a time when maritime archaeology has established itself as a mature branch of archaeology.

Subject areas discussed in this book include shipwrecks and abandoned vessels, underwater site formation processes, maritime infrastructure and industries such as whaling, submerged aircraft and Australian Indigenous sites underwater. The application of National and State legislation and management regimes to these underwater cultural heritage sites is also highlighted. The contributors of this piece have set the standard for the practice in Australia from which others can learn.

This book is for the young and the old, for the novice and the expert. It is based on research and fact. It will serve as a guide and a reference for anyone with an interest in shipwrecks, artifacts, and treasures of all kinds.

Research into the anthropogenic and taphonomic processes that affect the formation of maritime archaeological resources has grown significantly over the last decade in both theory and the analysis of specific sites and associated material culture. The addition of interdisciplinary inquiry, investigative techniques, and analytical modeling, from fields such as engineering, oceanography, and marine biology have increased our ability to trace the unique pathways through which archaeological sites progress from initial deposition to the present, yet can also link individual sites into an integrated socio-environmental maritime landscape. This edited volume presents a global perspective of current research in maritime archaeological landscape formation processes. In addition to “classically” considered submerged material culture and geography, or those that can be accessed by traditional underwater methodology, case studies include less-often considered sites and landscapes. These landscapes, for example, require archaeologists to use geophysical marine survey equipment to characterize extensive areas of the seafloor or go above the surface to access maritime archaeological resources that have received less scholarly attention.

This open access peer-reviewed volume was inspired by the UNESCO UNITWIN Network for Underwater Archaeology International Workshop held at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia in November 2016. Content is based on, but not limited to, the work presented at the workshop which was dedicated to 3D recording and interpretation for maritime archaeology. The volume consists of contributions from leading international experts as well as up-and-coming early career researchers from around the globe. The content of the book includes recording and analysis of maritime archaeology through emerging technologies, including both practical and theoretical contributions. Topics include photogrammetric recording, laser scanning, marine geophysical 3D survey techniques, virtual reality, 3D modelling and reconstruction, data integration and Geographic Information Systems. The principal incentive for this publication is the ongoing rapid shift in the methodologies of maritime archaeology within recent years and a marked increase in the use of 3D and digital approaches. This convergence of digital technologies such as underwater photography and photogrammetry, 3D sonar, 3D virtual reality, and 3D printing has highlighted a pressing need for these new methodologies to be considered together, both in terms of defining the state-of-the-art and for consideration of future directions. As a scholarly publication, the audience for the book includes students and researchers, as well as professionals working in various aspects of archaeology, heritage management, education, museums, and public policy. It will be of special interest to those working in the field of coastal cultural resource management and underwater archaeology but will also be of broader interest to anyone interested in archaeology and to those in other disciplines who are now engaging with 3D recording and visualization.

Major events of human prehistory such as the post-glacial recolonization of Northern Europe and the spread of agriculture through the Mediterranean took place on landscapes that are now, at least partially, underwater. Large parts of this submerged terrain are accessible to divers and can be investigated archaeologically. Prehistoric underwater research has emerged in recent decades as a distinct sub-discipline, developing approaches and methodologies that can be applied in coastal regions worldwide. As a result there is growing awareness of the potential for underwater archaeology to transform our ideas about the course of prehistory. This volume examines existing practice and new developments in the field of submerged prehistoric landscape research. The 25 peer-reviewed contributions from leading authors cover the results of recent research on three continents and the application of methodologies and techniques for site discovery, investigation and interpretation.

​Battlefields have been the object of fascination for millions of tourists and the subjects of elaborate interpretation projects. This volume will outline the process and results of developing the WWII Maritime Heritage Trail: Battle of Saipan Project. This book will provide examples of how a group of archaeologists, managers and a community took a specific battle and transformed it from a collection of unknown archaeological sites into a comprehensive storied battlescape that reflects the individuals and actions of those who were involved. It will provide an in-depth view of current maritime archaeological research on submerged battlefield sites, the development of a WWII battlefield maritime heritage trail, as well as the problems and solutions of such an effort. It will cover subjects such as: -heritage and dark tourism-conflict or battlefield archaeology-public interpretation, and community engagement. This volume will serve as a practical review of a project influenced by a range of complementary areas of study and inclusive of many stakeholders, from the public to the professional and beyond. It provides an example of a balanced approach towards research and interpreting archaeological sites through the identification and inclusion of the various stakeholders (professional and community) and an awareness of what was being included, ignored, or inadequately represented in the research and interpretation.