Archaeological Oceanography

by Ballard, Robert D.

• ISBN13: 9780691129402
• ISBN10: 0691129401
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-07-01
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

Archaeological Oceanographyis the definitive book on the newly emerging field of deep-sea archaeology. Marine archaeologists have been finding and excavating underwater shipwrecks since at least the early 1950s, but until recently their explorations have been restricted to depths considered shallow by oceanographic standards. This book describes the latest advances that enable researchers to probe the secrets of the deep ocean, and the vital contributions these advances offer to archaeology and fields like maritime history and anthropology.Renowned oceanographer Robert Ballard--who stunned the world with his discovery of the Titanic deep in the North Atlantic--has gathered together the pioneers of archaeological oceanography, a cross-disciplinary group of archaeologists, oceanographers, ocean engineers, and anthropologists who have undertaken ambitious expeditions into the deep sea. In this book, they discuss the history of archaeological oceanography and the evolution and use of advanced deep-submergence technology to locate and excavate ancient and modern shipwrecks and cultural and other sites deep under water. They offer examples from their own expeditions and explain the challenges future programs face in obtaining access to the resources needed to carry out this important and exciting research.The contributors are Robert D. Ballard, Ali Can, Dwight F. Coleman, Mike J. Durbin, Ryan Eustace, Brendan Foley, Cathy Giangrande, Todd S. Gregory, Rachel L. Horlings, Jonathan Howland, Kevin McBride, James B. Newman, Dennis Piechota, Oscar Pizarro, Christopher Roman, Hanumant Singh, Cheryl Ward, and Sarah Webster.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction	p. ix
The Technology and Techniques of Archaeological Oc eanography
Oceanographic Methods for Underwater Archaeological Surveys	p. 3
The Development of Towed Optical and Acoustical Vehicle Systems and Remotely Operated Vehicles in Support of Archaeological Oceanography	p. 15
High-resolution Optical Imaging for Deep-water Archaeology	p. 30
The Development of Excavation Technology for Remotely Operated Vehicles	p. 41
Conservation of Archaeological Finds from Deep-water Wreck Sites	p. 65
Contemporary Shipwrecks in the Deep Sea
The Search for Contemporary Shipwrecks in the Deep Sea: Lessons Learned	p. 95
Deep-water Shipwrecks in the Mediterranean and Black Seas
Searching for Ancient Shipwrecks in the Deep Sea	p. 131
The Remote Exploration and Archaeological Survey of Four Byzantine Ships in the Black Sea	p. 148
Submerged Landscape Archaeology
Archaeological and Geological Oceanography of Inundated Coastal Landscapes: An Introduction	p. 177
Underwater Prehistoric Archaeological Potential on the Southern New England Continental Shelf off Block Island	p. 200
Sinkholes in Lake Huron and the Possibility for Early Human Occupation on the Submerged Great Lakes Shelf	p. 224
Telepresence and Submerged Cultural Sites
Long-term Preservation and Telepresence Visitation of Cultural Sites beneath the Sea	p. 249
Glossary	p. 263
List of Contributors	p. 275
Index	p. 277
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