Sound Methods: The Necessity of High-resolution Geophysical Data for Planning Deepwater Archaeological Projects
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Sound Methods: The Necessity of High-resolution Geophysical Data for Planning Deepwater Archaeological Projects Robert A. Church & Daniel J. Warren
Published online: 14 March 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract The availability of deepwater survey technology allows researchers to work more readily in waters beyond conventional diving limits and makes possible an increased number of historical shipwreck projects. Several deepwater historical wreck sites are being investigated, some are being archaeologically mapped, and a few are even being excavated. Conducting a deepwater archaeological project to acceptable archaeological standards requires extensive and complex pre-investigation planning; otherwise, valuable data could be lost, as well as expensive ship and sub time wasted. High-resolution geophysical survey data must be a part of this planning process. Utilization of this type of data gives the planning scientists a better overall understanding of the site, which is essential in formulating valid field methodology. Drawing on examples from actual deepwater projects, this article discusses why high-resolution geophysical data is essential to the planning process, the means and methods used to collect the data, and how this data is integrated into the planning process to produce a feasible field project plan. Keywords Deepwater archaeology . Deepwater shipwrecks . Remote sensing . Archaeological methods
With modern technology it is possible to find ancient wrecks in deepwater, inspect them carefully, salvage historically or artistically valuable pieces, and recover entire ships (Bascom 1976).
R. A. Church (*) : D. J. Warren C & C Technologies, Inc., 730 E. Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette, CA 70508, USA e-mail: [email protected] D. J. Warren e-mail: [email protected]
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Int J Histor Archaeol (2008) 12:103–119
Introduction The possibilities evoked by the above words, written nearly 30 years ago, have become modern realities. Archaeologists using advanced undersea technologies are expanding the exploration of our maritime past well beyond the limits of scientific scuba diving and into the deepest abysses of Earth's oceans (for the purpose of this article, the definition used for scientific scuba diving limits is 70 m below sea level; although the technical and commercial diving communities regularly exceed those limits). Locating historical shipwrecks, however, is only the starting point for marine archaeology. The technology to discover shipwreck sites in increasingly deeper waters brings with it, the challenge and responsibility to adequately document these sites. The goal of deepwater archaeological projects, as with all archaeological projects, should be the collection of information, whether through material recovery or in situ documentation, using the same level of investigation standards required on terrestrial and shallow water archaeological sites. Only with the development and use of sound investigation methodologies on par with those of other sub-disciplines
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