Lecture Course in Interdisciplinary Methods of Underwater Research – Part of the Training under the Project “Maritime School of Underwater Archaeology,” Funded by the “Program for the Recovery and Development of State, Regional, and Municipal Cultural Institutions” of the National Culture Fund (NCF)
One of the key areas where the Center for Underwater Archaeology (CUA) has invested consistent effort over the years is the development of an educational program in maritime history and underwater archaeology. It is aimed at both archaeology students and professional archaeologists. In Bulgarian universities, underwater archaeology is not offered as part of a dedicated bachelor’s or master’s degree program, despite the fact that the field is highly developed in Bulgaria and the results of local research are internationally recognized. Over time, the CUA has gained experience in organizing schools in underwater archaeology, including international programs. The current School of Maritime History and Underwater Archaeology is part of this tradition and focuses on innovation in maritime research, aimed specifically at Bulgarian students. It reflects the CUA’s continued commitment to training young specialists who may pursue careers in underwater archaeology. Participants were introduced to interdisciplinary methods and innovations that have already become or are on their way to becoming standards in high-quality contemporary research practice. This educational program also strengthens the institutional capacity of the CUA by attracting young people to its permanent team.
One of the school’s primary focuses was training in marine geophysics, a field in which Bulgaria lacks qualified specialists—particularly in its application to archaeology. As part of this training module, the project funded the purchase of specialized software, Sea View MOSAIC+SBP, a high-performance platform for processing data from multibeam echosounders, side-scan sonar, and sub-bottom profilers. The CUA has operated such equipment for the past nine years, consistently demonstrating its effectiveness in geophysical surveys for underwater archaeological projects. This software is an industry-grade solution that meets the highest standards in the field, delivering ultra-high-resolution imaging with exceptional functionality. It is also particularly well-suited for training purposes due to its intuitive user interface, simplified command structure, and ease of learning and use, especially in comparison to other similar commercial software.
As part of the interdisciplinary training, a specialized course was conducted in documenting archaeological sites and finds using underwater photogrammetry. Thousands of photos, taken by a diver-archaeologist using three GoPro 10 cameras while moving around the site, were processed with dedicated software to produce 3D models. These models present a clear and detailed view of the documented object (either an artifact or seabed structure), often offering visibility and context that are not possible underwater due to limited visibility and the scale of the objects. The software georeferences the site in 3D space with GPS coordinates, achieving positional accuracy within three centimeters. Through this method, the CUA has become a pioneer and leader in the Bulgarian archaeological community in applying digital technologies to the research and documentation of cultural heritage.
Participants in the school also received additional theoretical training, including:
– Underwater archaeological sites in the Black Sea – prehistoric settlements, ancient fortifications and architectural complexes, historical harbors, and shipwrecks;
– Methodologies for excavating underwater sites;
– Conservation of artifacts recovered from marine and freshwater environments;
– Other interdisciplinary research areas – dendrochronology, paleozoology, paleobotany, paleoecology, etc., all of which are crucial to comprehensive underwater archaeological research;
– Use of specialized diving equipment – full-face masks, dry suit diving, underwater scooters, working with air compressors for tank refills, and underwater ejectors.