An underwater archaeologist searches for historic sites, shipwrecks, and the remains of biological substances in bodies of water. These individuals, like land-based archaeologists, study these structures and materials in order to learn about past civilizations and extinct animals. Some archaeologists work for government agencies or educational institutions, while others work for private companies.
Anyone interested in working as an underwater archaeologist must first earn a bachelor’s degree in archaeology. Some universities also offer postgraduate degree programs in nautical archaeology, which prepare students for the challenges of collecting samples and data while diving. People who have completed both their undergraduate and master’s degrees may go on to study for a doctorate in archaeology, and those who complete these courses are frequently hired as lecturers at major universities.
An underwater archaeologist who is primarily interested in human history may focus on shipwrecks. Such individuals scuba dive to the ocean floor in search of sunken shipwrecks. Conditions are particularly favorable for preservation in some bodies of water, such as the Black Sea; archaeologists are frequently able to find ancient boats that are completely intact in places like this. An archaeologist may collect jewelry, cutlery, and other artifacts in a fishing net or specialized container during a dive and transport them back to a boat before transporting them to a laboratory for examination. Human remains, such as skeletons and hair samples, are also collected by some archaeologists in order to learn more about the people who were transported on these doomed ships.
Rising sea levels in some parts of the world have resulted in ancient civilizations’ structures becoming submerged. Archaeologists conduct surveys of these sites and look for artifacts hidden among the rubble with shovels and other tools. An underwater archaeologist may be equipped with an underwater camera, in which case photographs of large structures can be taken and used as research materials once the photographer returns to dry land. Other archaeologists search for ancient marine life samples, which could be in the form of bone fragments or fossils. These exhibits, like human-related artifacts, are studied so that scientists can learn more about the animals that once roamed the Earth.
University and college archaeologists frequently lead dives to sites that may be of interest to college students studying ancient cultures. Government-hired archaeologists collect artifacts that are occasionally displayed in museums. Other people working in this field conduct surveys for energy companies or engineering firms. These people are in charge of making sure that underwater areas are free of historic structures that might prevent these companies from building on them.