Underwater Archaeology

Not everything is online or in a digital database, and knowing where to look and which historical records to access helps us be efficient so you can get the answers you need about your site’s historical and cultural significance.

Our underwater archaeology surveys systematically investigate and document underwater cultural heritage, including shipwrecks, submerged structures, and other items of historical or archaeological value. The collected data from the underwater survey gives you valuable insight into any mitigation measures your project might need to include.

Once we integrate the data from the site evaluation, we provide recommendations for the management of the site.

Site evaluation activities include:

• Desk-based assessment of historical records, archival documents, maps, and other sources to gather information about the site’s potential historical significance, cultural context, and any previous studies or surveys conducted in the area.
• A preliminary survey helps to identify any anomalies that may indicate the presence of an archaeological site.
• Our team knows when it is necessary to send divers on a reconnaissance dive to visually inspect the anomalies found in the survey.
• Site mapping and documentation includes documenting the location, dimensions, and orientation of any significant features, as well as recording the positions of artifacts and their relationship to the site.
• Artifact analysis is necessary to understanding the site’s chronology and cultural connections.
• An environmental assessment looks at factors like water quality, sediment composition, and current patterns in order to understand your site’s preservation state and any vulnerability.

After we find maritime artifacts, we begin the process of creating cultural resource inventories of the site that document and record everything we find.

From side-scan sonar that creates detailed images of the seafloor to magnetometers that measure variations in the earth’s magnetic field to sub-bottom profiling, multi-beam echosounders and satellites, our team can examine large areas of the seafloor or water column efficiently and noninvasively to get you the information you need for your project.

We also have the expertise to streamline the myriad details involved with logistics in maritime archaeological sites, including the management of resources and equipment to, from, and at your project site. And, we can manage the permits and permissions required by the relevant authorities so that your site stays compliant.

If your project site does require excavation, we can manage the process from start to finish. The preliminary survey and site evaluation will help us plan how to prepare the site and execute the excavation. There are many underwater excavation techniques, and our team knows which to employ when. Our archaeologists know how to handle any artifacts that might be found. Once their significance has been determined, we work with you to develop a plan to keep your project moving forward in a way that also respects the cultural resource your project may have stumbled into.

Chronicle Heritage’s archaeological collections management services encompass the organization, curation, and preservation of any archaeological materials recovered from an underwater site. We carefully document, catalog, and store any data recovered from a site.

The risks come from all directions: natural and environmental risks, human impacts, climate and sea level changes, and pollution. Knowing the nature of the natural and environmental factors will help to make better decisions and implement better management strategies to protect a site for future generations.