If you love history and you love to dive, consider a career in underwater archaeology, or simply sign up to volunteer with a marine archaeology team while on vacation or during your spare time. All over the world, in rivers, lakes, oceans and seas, and even murky ponds, divers have made amazing discoveries that have shed light on human history. Some of these discoveries open a window into what life was like thousands of years ago, while others provide important clues that give us an expanded view of more recent history. Let’s take a look at this intriguing career choice.
Underwater Archaeology: What it Involves
Maritime archaeologists visit sunken ruins and ancient shipwrecks. They are working to unearth Kublai Khan’s lost fleet; they’re discovering more about Egyptian wonders at Alexandria, and they are making important discoveries in many other places, as well. Often working under less than ideal circumstances, with sometimes poor visibility and tough topside conditions, they are sometimes in a race against time; saving sunken ruins and important historic wrecks from being lost to the ravages of time and tide.
Using many of the same techniques that archaeologists’ topside use, plus special vacuums and other equipment, maritime investigators work in teams and are limited by factors like weather, deco, and air supply issues. Sometimes working for universities or museums, and at other times working for government agencies, these professionals are often highly degreed. Many of them are also accomplished technical divers; some of the world’s most fascinating sites are tough to access!
Besides investigating ancient history, underwater archaeologists look into the recent past as well. For example, the many shipwrecks and aircraft wrecks that litter the south Pacific, reminders of World War II, often hold important clues that not only help governments to make better design, but which often provide closure to family members and shipmates left behind. Experts at reconstructing events, these professionals are sometimes called in to assist with investigating current maritime accidents.
It’s not all excitement; maritime archaeologists spend plenty of time analyzing their finds, researching and learning more about the civilizations they are investigating, and writing about the sites they visit, often in technical terms for scientific journals and in more simplified language the rest of us find easy and pleasant to read.
Becoming a Maritime Archaeologist
If you have no desire to pursue a high-level education in history and archaeology, like the world’s most prominent professionals in the field have, you can still help by providing important manpower to sites throughout the world. Underwater digs have to be investigated quickly, and preservation is essential. Artifacts that have been underwater for hundreds or thousands of years nearly evaporate when brought to the surface, so keeping them immersed and protecting them from the effects of outside air is essential. One good example of hard work in action involves the raising and preservation of the Mary Rose, a Tudor warship which has been carefully raised, piece by piece, wrapped in protective layers of foam, and kept wet as she has been reassembled and preserved. A large-scale excavation like this requires plenty of hard work; imagine being able to tell your friends and family what it was like to help bring this important discovery up so everyone can enjoy it!
No matter which period of history intrigues you most, you are likely to find a way to meld your passion for diving with your love of past mysteries. Simply learning more, diving wrecks, sunken cities, and other historical sites as much as possible, and working to further your education bit by bit can eventually lead you to an exciting and lucrative career. The world’s waterways and oceans hide millions of mysteries; what will you discover?