Maritime cultural heritage and sustainability
The centre works to document and protect maritime cultural heritage. We want to build capacity for maritime archaeological work around the world.
We work to international best practice and follow the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
We are also working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG14. This is to 'Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.'
SDG14 is especially relevant where our research brings together ocean science and environmental change, and people, heritage and identity.
Changing marine and coastal environments
Our work adds a human dimension to narratives of climate change and sea-level rise from deep-time to the present. Areas of interest include the following.
- modelling coastal change on long and short timescales
- palaeogeographic reconstructions of submerged landscapes
- marine geoarchaeology of the offshore zone
- consultancy for offshore development
- coastal and offshore survey
- community heritage
Shipwrecks and seafarers
Our researchers work on many coastal, submerged and shipwreck sites around the world.
We use archives and iconography, digital technologies, marine survey, diving and cutting-edge deepwater technology and robotics. We also explore community practice and ethnographic studies of traditional seafaring practices.
Our projects are wide-ranging. They include the study of maritime technology and the evidence of seafaring, boats and ships. We explore trade, ports, harbours and maritime society from our earliest origins to the present day.
Current projects include the following.
- Prehistoric and early historical seafaring, including palaeolithic, neolithic and bronze age
- Ancient Greeks
- Romans
- Ottomans
- Vikings
- Medieval societies
- Development of global shipping