Underwater Archaeology: Mysteries of the Deep

Dive into the thrilling world of underwater archaeology in this globe-spanning course and explore sunken cities, fabulous shipwrecks, and other astonishing treasures of history beneath the oceans and waterways of our planet.

Overview

Course No. 30730

The work of archaeology uncovers fascinating vestiges of humanity’s past, greatly enriching our knowledge of our ancestors and ourselves. Over the last century, archaeologists have increasingly ventured underwater, making spellbinding finds and opening an incredible new frontier for archaeological discovery.

In the 12 delightful and eye-opening lectures of Underwater Archaeology: Mysteries of the Deep, Professor Lemke, an expert underwater archaeologist working in the field, invites you to discover astonishing treasures of history that lie beneath the waves, such as:

• Cities Beneath the Waters: Discover sunken cities such as Antirhodos (Egypt), revealing a submerged royal palace and a temple to Isis; the drowned city of Port Royal in Jamaica, an extraordinary time capsule of 17th century life; and more.
• The Stunning Lore of Shipwrecks: Encounter the Uluburun, a Bronze Age ship laden with luxury objects; the massive 17th century Swedish warship Vasa; the Queen Anne’s Revenge, vessel of the feared pirate Blackbeard; and many others.
• Life in Mesolithic and Neolithic Times: Visit the submerged Mesolithic villages of Tybrind Vig in Denmark and Bouldnor Cliff in England and discover Neolithic-era wooden boats found underwater in Italy.
• Archaeology in Cold Water: Follow archaeologists using sonar who uncovered stone hunting blinds used by Ice Age caribou hunters, along with the team that used remotely operated vehicles to find the Endurance, a ship lost in the Antarctic in 2743 meters of water.
• Underwater Finds of the Modern Era: Study discoveries at key 20th century sites. Among many, delve into the excavation of the Titanic and track major work in the Pacific, recovering submerged aircraft, landing craft, and shipwrecks from the World War II battle of Saipan.

In Underwater Archaeology: Mysteries of the Deep you’ll travel into a new domain for archaeological work, finding lost worlds and compelling perspectives on our shared human past.

Video Lectures

1. How Underwater Archaeology Works (31 min)
   Begin the course with an overview of this exciting field. Learn about key areas of study, such as maritime, nautical, and submerged site archaeology. Preview the great range of underwater archaeology sites and learn how the field itself developed. Look at the cutting-edge technology underwater archaeologists use, such as sonar and robotics, and how underwater research is conducted.
2. Sunken Cities of the Ancient Mediterranean (27 min)
   Discover Pavlopetri (Greece), an ancient city submerged by earthquakes, and find evidence of its great textile industry and trade. Continue with Apollonia (Libya), with its structures and port remarkably preserved underwater. Then, visit Baiae, a sunken Roman resort town with richly decorated villas, and end with Egypt’s Thonis-Heracleion and Antirhodos, revealing temples, palaces, and statuary.
3. Submerged Traces of Early Human Migration (28 min)
   See what underwater archaeology can tell us about prehistoric humanity. Learn how coastlines have changed markedly over the millennia and how many early humans lived in areas that are now underwater. Explore underwater sites revealing artifacts, settlements, and human remains in South Africa, Australia, and the Americas, shedding new light on the amazing story of ancient migration.
4. Pirates, Plunderers, and Mutineers (28 min)
   Visit the sunken city of Port Royal in Jamaica, submerged by an earthquake in 1692, and encounter the many artifacts that portray life in a historic haven for both privateers and pirates. Then, uncover the shipwreck of the Queen Anne’s Revenge and learn about the day-to-day life of the fearsome Blackbeard and his pirates. Finish at the Australian wreck of the Batavia, the site of a tragic mutiny.
5. Viking Ships and Stone Age Danes (29 min)
   The history of early Scandinavian peoples is vividly preserved underwater. Explore the remarkable Danish site of the Skuldelev ships, five Viking era ships of different types that were recovered and preserved using cutting-edge methods. Then, view the Mesolithic site of Tybrind Vig, a submerged prehistoric village, and extraordinary finds on Doggerland, a sunken continent that connected Britain to Europe.
6. Cold Water Archaeology (27 min)
   Investigate how archaeological work is done in cold and deep water. In arctic waters, find the Erebus and the Terror, two submerged ships lost in the 1840s with artifacts amazingly preserved by the cold and depth. Then, locate the Endurance in the Antarctic, the intact lost ship of the 1914 Shackleton expedition, and the remains of an Ice Age caribou hunting culture in Lake Huron.
7. Ritual Sites and Votive Offerings (29 min)
   Travel to underwater sites containing “ritual deposits,” symbolic or religious offerings placed in water. Study Lake Titicaca in the Andes mountains, revealing religious offerings of the Inca and pre-Inca peoples. Uncover lavish votive objects in cenotes (sinkholes) in Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as in peat bogs in Europe, and find evidence of an ancient mortuary cult in Florida.
8. Shipwrecks and Nautical Archaeology (31 min)
   Encounter the Uluburun, an elite Bronze Age ship found near Turkey, and the ancient Antikythera (Greece), then track the techniques used in their excavations and the astonishing artifacts and history recovered. Then, uncover the warship Vasa (Sweden), renowned for its incredible state of preservation, and the French La Belle (Gulf of Mexico), fascinating time capsules of 17th century life.
9. Sunken Warships: Treasure Troves of History (29 min)
   Assess the remarkable legacy of lost warships in examples from the American Civil War and World War II. Study the fate and recovery of the Monitor, the Union Navy’s first ironclad ship, and the Hunley, the Confederates’ groundbreaking submarine. In World War II, trace historic wrecks from the Battle of the Atlantic and major archaeological work focusing on the Pacific’s Battle of Saipan.
10. Sea Level Rise and Submerged Villages (28 min)
    Chart the phenomenon of changing sea levels and rich underwater finds of human prehistory. Visit Atlit Yam in Israel, a sunken village whose incredible artifacts vividly portray Neolithic life, and the fascinating Mesolithic Bouldnor Cliff site in England. In Europe and Scotland, encounter “pile dwellings” (stilt houses) and crannogs, sophisticated early human settlements on inland waterways.
11. In Search of Ancient Seafarers (27 min)
    Who were the first seafarers? Investigate this question by looking first at indirect evidence—prehistoric land sites in the Mediterranean, East Timor, and Japan that show clear evidence of boating technology. Then, uncover the oldest boats ever found, dating from Mesolithic and Neolithic times, and locate the world’s oldest shipwreck—a remarkably intact 2400-year-old Greek trading vessel.
12. The Future of the Underwater Past (35 min)
    Conclude with a look at underwater archaeological work focusing on peoples whose stories have been marginalized or underrepresented. Follow the work of organizations excavating shipwrecks such as the São José Paquete d’Africa, an 18th century vessel carrying enslaved Africans, and work in Wisconsin with Native American groups on recovering ancient canoes linked to their oral history traditions.