Home > Encyclopedia of Science > Nautical Archaeology

• Archaeology done underwater
• Underwater repositories of human history
• Destroyed or preserved
• Words to Know
• Underwater technology
• Improving technology

Nautical archaeology (pronounced NAW-tih-kul ar-kee-OL-low-jee) is the science of finding, collecting, preserving, and studying human objects that have become lost or buried under water. It is a fairly modern field of study since it depends primarily on having the technology both to locate submerged objects and to be able to remain underwater for some time to do real work. Whether it is conducted in freshwater or in the sea, and whether it finds sunken ships, submerged cities, or things deliberately thrown...