Marine archaeology, unlike traditional archaeology, was not considered a scientific discipline until the 1960s. It is most often concerned with shipwrecks but can be applied to any study or excavation of artifacts on or below the ocean floor. This area of research comes with its own unique set of challenges, as many of the standard archaeological methods simply cannot be applied. It is far more labor intensive and expensive, with common obstacles including poor weather conditions and tidal complications (Blakemore, 2019). Despite these roadblocks, marine archaeology provides insight to huge swaths of history lost to the ocean’s depths.

Many different methods and strategies are used for underwater excavation. For initial surveillance of the ocean floor’s topography, side scan sonar has long been the preferred operation. Unlike standard sonar, which scans in a conical shape, side scan sonar scans in two directions at once, both vertically and laterally. This allows for a far sharper resolution of depth imaging (Egenrieder, 2014). For coastline detection and mapping, satellite imaging is also employed (Blakemore, 2019). Many of the same tools that are used by archaeologists on land can be used underwater, such as hand trowels, but others are very different (Adovasio, Hemmings, 2012). While archaeologists on land scoop dirt onto a screen to sift through it, underwater archaeology requires a massive vacuum cleaner-like machine to suck sediment off of the seafloor at a rate of 600 gallons per minute and then press it through a floating screen deck to sift through the debris (Adovasio, Hemmings, 2012). Many organic materials, such as wood, bone fragments, and plant fibers are better preserved underwater than on land, but the process of extracting these fragile materials from the seafloor requires significant caution (Adovasio, Hemmings, 2012). They must be carefully removed, brought to the surface, stabilized, and often refrigerated to prevent decomposition caused by exposure to the light and air that they likely haven’t seen since they sunk to these depths (Adovasio, Hemmings, 2012).

Underwater archaeologists must undergo additional training on top of their credentials as archaeologists. Diving training is essential, as well as many hours of practice for the specific conditions of an underwater archaeological site (Kenyon, 2020).  It is easy to accidentally damage the site when you are met with environmental challenges like quick moving currents, wildlife, and unexpected weather patterns (Kenyon, 2020). Risks like these can make this profession a dangerous one, so abundant caution and years of practice are the key to successful research outcomes. Still, this research remains invaluable. Over two thirds of the earth’s surface is covered with water, oceans and rivers that humans have been crossing and tossing items of precious historical significance into for as long as we’ve been here. The trouble lies in accessing them.

Sources:

“Maritime Archaeology”. Archaeology: National Marine Sanctuaries Maritime Heritage Program.  NOAA.

 Blakemore, Erin. August 2, 2019. “How Underwater Archaeology Reveals Hidden Wonders”. National Geographic. National Geographic.

Egenrieder, Tim. June 19, 2014. “A Beginner’s Guide To Side Scan Sonar”. On The Water. On The Water.

Kenyon, Kimberly. April 29, 2020. “What Is Underwater Archaeology?”. Submerged NC. North Carolina Office of State Archaeology. 

 Adovasio, J.M.. Hemmings, C. Andrew. 2012. “Underwater Archaeological Excavation Techniques”. Exploring The Submerged New World 2012. Ocean Exploration NOAA.

Links To Further Reading:

1. https://ocean.si.edu/human-connections/exploration/what-marine-archaeology
2. https://maritimearchaeologytrust.org/

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Skywoman Descending Turtle Island, Arnold Jacobs

Our class discussions about Dr Space Junk vs The Universe have touched on issues concerning space exploration and the potential colonization/industrialization of outer space. The frameworks we use in these discussions are very important. As we learn about Indigenous histories, postprocessual archaeology, and the future of anthropology, we should consider which paradigms we are operating within and where our research is based. Do we understand Western science as fact? Regard Indigenous history as myth? Are we driven by curiosity, or is there a looming sense of entitlement and capitalism in our language and discussion?
Question your understanding and conceptualization of what space is. We consider ourselves so far removed from the world above, so it could even be seen as preposterous to the colonized mind that ‘space’ may be entitled to the same respect, cultural consideration that we (more or less) treat our planet with. Much like the ecology of our earthly landscape, this planet is part of a large interstellar community, and we are as well.
I would also ask us to suspend our Westernized mindsets for a moment and reconsider our trust in science and denial of ‘myth.’ Only when we distrust, silence and regard histories as myth can we dignify colonial campaigns on this planet and intercellestially. I want to bring the story of Sky Woman into the conversation when discussing the conceptualization of space. “In the beginning there was Skyworld,” starts Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass. Kimmerer describes how Sky Woman initially fell from the Sky World above. As she tumbled into the world below, she was caught by a flock of geese and greeted by a great turtle, among many other animals welcoming her to a world she had never known. Together they built the land, and they grew plant life from the seeds she offered as thanksgiving upon her arrival. We live today as descendants of Sky Woman, a mother native to the world above, and we will continue to offer thanks to this earth and to our co-inhabitants for welcoming us here. Relationality is key in the history of Sky Woman. Descendant from the sky, nurtured by the world below, tending to the land we sew. If we were to consider, actually consider, these truths, would we not approach the Sky World differently?
With a perspective that essentially separates us from the world around us, you can see how easily we can turn a blind eye to exploitation on this planet and, to an even greater extent, ignore the exploitation we cannot see or comprehend, those taking place intercelestially. Western methods of science (the ones that have led the march into space) do not consider many spiritual or immaterial aspects of the world around them. Space expedition and colonization are rooted in western philosophies that not only disregard and mythologize Indigenous truths, but also excuse/corroborate the exploitation of land and space (on this planet and otherwise) through the denial of those truths. If we were to consider Sky World and other histories in our conversations, respect and protection might come more easily to the industrialized mind when considering ‘outer space.’ Regarding the universe as ‘community’ is just the beginning of understanding space, not as a land for discovery and exploitation but as home or friend, worthy of respect and honor.

River of Souls, Carl Gawboy

References

A. Mitchell et al. Dukarr lakarama: Listening to Guwak, talking back to space colonization,
Political Geography, Volume 81, 2020, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0962629818304086

Gorman, Alice. Dr Space Junk vs the Universe: Archaeology and the Future. The MIT Press, 2020.

Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass. Vancouver, B.C.: milkweed editions, 2013.

Maryboy, Nancy C. “Process and Relationship in Indigenous Astronomy: Connectivity of Mother Earth and Father Sky.” International Journal of Applied Science and Sustainable Development, no. 2 (2020).

Additional Reading

https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/des/article/view/19145/16234

https://academic.oup.com/astrogeo/article/47/5/5.27/231805

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Philip-Clarke-4/publication/276207325_THE_ABORIGINAL_AUSTRALIAN_COSMIC_LANDSCAPE_PART_1_THE_ETHNOBOTANY_OF_THE_SKYWORLD/links/555292f308ae6943a86d751f/THE-ABORIGINAL-AUSTRALIAN-COSMIC-LANDSCAPE-PART-1-THE-ETHNOBOTANY-OF-THE-SKYWORLD.pdf

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