Seabee Junkyard: Marine Archaeology

In the summer of 1982, a local Turkish sponge diver named Mehmed Cakir set out on a normal morning dive. In the Bay of Antalya in the Mediterranean Sea near the city of Kas, the diver took a boat not too far off shore. During his dive, he found what he described as “metal biscuits with ears” and reported them to the Institute of Nautical Archaeology in Kas. The INA then sent a team to the shoreline to discover what would end up being the Uluburun, the oldest shipwreck ever excavated.

Death by Theory, written by Adrian Praetzellis, is an engaging and informational book written in a novelistic way that engages the reader to think critically about archaeology. Compared to other forms of informational text about archaeology, Death by Theory teaches archaeological theory by telling a story that incorporates the different theories of archaeology in a realistic setting. While standard textbooks about the theory of archaeology can come off a bit dry, Death by Theory skips the standard definitions and applies this in a way that aids the reader in understanding how these theories and terms can be applied in an actual archaeological setting. This text illustrates the adventure of plucky archaeologist Dr. Hannah Green and her nephew Sean Doyle as they seek to explain an unusual archaeological site while dealing with real life archaeological struggles. The protagonists deal with an egotistical colleague of Dr. Green who sought her out as a consult on a particularly strange archaeological case. All the while dealing with cults, the media, and incompatible data.

Archaeologists are now able to come together with natives and learn about the past as a team, getting more insight into ceremonials, traditions, sacred ritueals, everyday workings, and lifestyles of native peoples. Respecting the grounds and artifacts of these indigenous people is respecting their heritage- our universal heritage. The unfolding of information allows archaeologists to gain perspective on the people and land before the white

When I visited the Koorie Heritage Trust, I found their large collection of 2600 artifacts most intriguing because the Trust had been collecting these artifacts ever since the year 1985. The collection consists of various items across time, the oldest being stone tools such as grinding stones and axes, and newer items were also there such as t-shirts and jewelry. Furthermore, my favorite item in the collection was the eel trap, which was an example of the survival of the Koori culture as well as their knowledge. Gunditjmara elder, Aunty Connie Hart, made the trap in 1988. The Gunditjmara being an Indigenous group from Western Victoria, where Gunditj means ‘belonging to’ and mara means ‘person’. And the major role of the collection is to show

This exhibit highlights artifacts found in the wreck of the Spanish Carrack cargo ship, the San Esteban, which ran aground near neighboring Padre Island in the spring of 1554. These objects include the stern section of the keel with part of the sternpost, wrought-iron anchors, cannons, ammunition, tools, ship’s fittings and fastenings, and silver coin and bullion. The exhibit also features the world’s oldest date-confirmed mariner’s astrolabe –

On February twentieth, Patricia McAnany, an archeologists who focuses on the Mayan civilization, said “You cannot have a successful find without working with others” which is exactly what Janet Spector found. Janet Spector worked with many people during her dig at the Dakota village, some who were her colleagues and some who were descendants of the tribe that she was focusing on. And in the end she was extremely successful. She found many many things but it was not just what she found that made her successful it was the fact that she interacted with all of these different people. Instead of just being focused on the object like many other archeologists do, she focused on the people behind the object. She called this “Feminist Archeology.” Feminist archeology is much more people-centered while the “old” archeology focuses more on just the object itself. In this particular archeology, the archeologists do not necessarily get all of the information that they possibly can on the object and the people that it belongs to like Janet Spector

That article was very informative, and it was interesting to read that Santa Rosa Island is home to some of the oldest sites of civilization on the Pacific Coast. The information that midden can reveal about a population is fascinating because they reveal how people ate and how they lived. The article also illustrated how the indigenous people industrious. For example, the site uncovered evidence of “distinctive stone points and tool-making debris”, also they were able to move the location of the shell mounds more inland to in an effort to better preserve them, so they had to have a method for transporting the large amounts of abalone shells. In addition, the article explained how shells and “radiocarbon” play a key role in revealing that people

Scott, A.O. “A Seagoing Showcase of Human Collectibles.” New York Times. (2004): Print. 10 Dec.

The discovery of a 3,000-year-old shipwreck, complete with riches and raw materials. The trading vessel was carrying an extremely valuable cargo of tin and hundreds of copper ingots from the Continent when it sank. Archaeologists have described the vessel, which is thought to date back to around 900BC, as being a "bulk carrier" of its age. The copper and tin would have been used for making bronze not only weapons, but also tools, jewelry, ornaments and other items. Archaeologists believe the copper and possibly the tin was being imported into

The focus of this research paper is to analyze the information, unique characteristics, and history regarding the subculture of scuba divers. Scuba divers get to explore new, exciting, and breathtaking regions in the ocean that many people never get to experience in their whole lives. Scuba divers hold important roles in society because of the discoveries they make on a daily basis. They provide much needed research that is important in the scientific community regarding newly discovered marine species. Scuba divers get the opportunity to explore exceptionally beautiful ocean features that include shipwrecks, coral reefs, and other stunning tropical ocean regions. Many people find scuba diving an enjoyable leisure activity to be involved

When I first entered the dig site I saw a military officer hart, a skeleton, two swords, two old cameras, a Russians wooden doll, and two old newspapers. The first thing I noticed was the skeleton on the ground, along with the two swords. Our teacher asked us to make hypothesis on how the person may have died, and to fill out this packet for homework. We were also to not to touch anything, as it was old and fragile. I observed the find by sitting down on the ground to take a better look and to see if there were any broken bones. I wrote down this packet what I saw and that is how I documented my findings. To research artifacts I used my plan of using the Internet.

A well – known tradition is that of the ship burial, where the dead are laid in a boat, or a stone ship, and given grave offerings in accordance with his economic status, sometimes including sacrificed slaves. Afterwards, piles of stone and soil were usually laid on top of the remains in order to create a burial mound.

Maritime archaeology has been established over the past two decades, and especially, Australian maritime archaeologists have played global leadership roles. This book, one of the Plenum Series in Underwater Archaeology, summarises significant maritime archaeological investigations and innovative approaches by Australian archaeologists and underwater cultural heritage managers. Staniforth and Nash composed this book with not only a rage of people who work in a variety of organizations in Australia, but also a diversity of views from different generations; however, as the editors remark, 11 people out of the 13 authors are male, the gender imbalance is an issue that maritime archaeologists should address.

Community archaeology is another sub-discipline of archaeology, just like Indigenous archaeology is. What is community archaeology, and why does it matter? These are the main two questions that plague community archaeology. From the outside community archaeology just looks like another version of Indigenous archaeology, but it is not. Community archaeology, is archaeology for the people by the people. This is the simplest of definitions, while there is no concrete definition of what community archaeology is, even at the end of the Archaeology in the Community conference the participants were still no closer to a concrete definition. It seems everyone has their own definition of what community archaeology is. There are some common reoccurring themes, “such as cooperation between professional and non-professional archaeologist, and the belief that archaeology does not have to take place in private between consenting companies.” (Moshenska and Dhanjal 2006: 1) The integration of the public into to the world of archaeology isn’t a new concept, archaeologist for decades have been looking to the public to help better understand their surrounds and the history of the area. Ethnographies have been helpful in understanding and interpreting the past, these ethnographies were developed through interviews and observing the locals in a certain area. The emergence of community archaeology has never been pinpointed to one area of the world, since it is practiced all over the

In Maritime Archaeology and Ancient Trade in the Mediterranean, Andrew Wilson argues that ancient maritime trade peaked in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. First, he identifies Parker’s graph of known shipwrecks as inaccurate evidence on the trade intensity of the ancient maritime world. Next, Wilson details several technologies, specifically the bilge pump, and hydraulic cement, that enabled the expansion of trade during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Finally, Wilson concludes that it was Roman standardization of currency and language, not new technologies, that allowed trade to increase in the ancient world. When the Roman empire deteriorated, trade decreased, leading to the loss of harbors and shipping technologies.