Between 17 and 20 June 2026, the 2nd International Mustafa V. Koç Underwater Archaeology Symposium was held in Istanbul, organised by the Turkish Foundation for Nautical Archaeology (TINA). The scientific sessions took place at the Koç University Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED). This year’s symposium, held under the theme “Yenikapı 35: A Time Capsule of Late Antique Seafaring”, brought together some of the world’s leading specialists in underwater archaeology and maritime cultural heritage.
The symposium has established itself as one of the region’s leading international scientific events dedicated to underwater cultural heritage. The programme featured the latest research on shipwrecks, ancient harbours, maritime landscapes, as well as new approaches to documentation, conservation, management, and protection of underwater cultural heritage. Participants included scholars from Türkiye, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Norway, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, Ukraine, and many other countries.
Two papers concerning Bulgarian underwater archaeology were presented during the symposium.
During the first scientific session, Associate Professor Dr. Kroum N. Batchvarov, University of Connecticut, Associate Research Scientist at the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA), and co-director of the international Cape Urdoviza Shipwreck Project, presented the paper “The Cape Urdoviza Late Ottoman Period Wreck: A Preliminary Report.” The presentation outlined the latest results from the archaeological investigation of one of the best-preserved Ottoman-period shipwrecks discovered along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, which is being studied jointly with the team of the Underwater Heritage Institute.
In the final scientific session, Dr. Nayden Prahov, Director of the Underwater Heritage Institute, delivered the paper “Development of Bulgarian Underwater Archaeology: From Volunteer Enthusiasm to the Underwater Heritage Institute.” His presentation traced the development of Bulgarian underwater archaeology from the first volunteer initiatives of the 1950s through the establishment and evolution of the national institution for underwater archaeology, culminating in its transformation in 2026 into the Underwater Heritage Institute – a UNESCO Category 2 Centre. The lecture presented the major milestones in the development of the Bulgarian school of underwater archaeology, highlighted the Institute’s international projects, and outlined its new regional role in the Black Sea and Lower Danube regions.
The symposium provided an excellent opportunity for the exchange of scientific knowledge, discussion of new methodologies, and the strengthening of existing international partnerships in the field of underwater archaeology.
During the event, representatives of the Institute also held a number of bilateral meetings with colleagues and partners from international universities, museums, and research organisations to discuss opportunities for future joint research projects, collaborative initiatives, and capacity-building activities in the field of underwater cultural heritage.
Participation in international scientific forums such as this forms an integral part of the mission of the Underwater Heritage Institute as a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, promoting international scientific cooperation, knowledge exchange, and capacity building for the protection and study of underwater cultural heritage across the Black Sea region and the Lower Danube.