{"id":6433,"date":"2025-07-04T09:19:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T09:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.cua-sozopol.com\/projects\/black-sea-m-a-p\/"},"modified":"2025-08-20T09:58:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T09:58:08","slug":"black-sea-map","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/projects\/expeditions\/black-sea-map\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Sea M.A.P."},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project<\/i><\/b> is a long-term marine archaeological project conducted in Bulgarian territorial waters of the Black Sea between 2015 and 2019. The project was funded by the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust through the Expedition and Education Foundation, <\/i><\/b> (UK).<\/i> It was implemented in accordance with the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage<\/i><\/b>. In line with Bulgaria\u2019s status as one of the first countries to sign and ratify the Convention, the project aimed to demonstrate best practices in response to the numerous threats to underwater cultural heritage, common in other parts of the world. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The main partners of the project included the Centre for Maritime Archaeology (CMA), University of Southampton (UK), the Center for Underwater Archaeology (CUA, Bulgaria), and the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NIAM-BAS). They were supported by partner institutions and companies from around the world, including the University of Connecticut (USA), the Maritime Archaeological Research Institute at S\u00f6dert\u00f6rn University (MARIS, Sweden), the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), and the Swedish high-tech marine survey company MMT.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Through interdisciplinary research in the field of maritime archaeology, the project aimed to address key questions related to geology, the environment, and human history in the Black Sea region.<\/p>

The main objective was to conduct maritime archaeological investigations in Bulgarian Black Sea waters in order to map the country\u2019s underwater cultural heritage. In doing so, the project contributed to building a comprehensive database of human activity in the region during prehistoric and historic periods, and the impact of this activity on the environment. <\/span><\/p>

Specific goals of the project included: <\/span><\/p>

  • Reconstruction of Quaternary palaeolandscapes on the Bulgarian continental shelf; <\/span><\/li>
  • Identification, mapping, and recording of all evidence of human activity in prehistoric and historic periods (e.g. settlements); <\/span><\/li>
  • Identification, recording, and interpretation of remains related to ancient maritime connections such as shipwrecks and associated seafaring infrastructure; <\/span><\/li>
  • Study of human responses to changing sea levels during the Pleistocene and Holocene;<\/li>
  • Refinement of existing sea-level change curves for the Black Sea.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    During the first field season in 2015, geophysical mapping was conducted over an area of 1,000 km\u00b2 from the decks of the Greek research vessel Aegaeo<\/i> and the Bulgarian Nomad<\/i>. A 3D model of the seabed was created based on this data to serve as a basis for subsequent analyses of underwater palaeoenvironments and sea-level fluctuations over the past 15,000 years, as well as for the development of a detailed geological map of the shelf zone. Several shipwrecks were identified at depths between 40 and 300 m<\/sup>etres during this phase. <\/span><\/p>

    The next field season in September 2016 was conducted from the offshore research vessel Stril Explorer<\/i> of the Swedish company MMT. Equipped with advanced technologies, the vessel deployed two remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)<\/b>:
    The Surveyor Interceptor<\/i>, launched with a full suite of geophysical tools, high-resolution cameras, lights, and a laser scanner;
    The ROV Supporter,<\/i> equipped for 3D photogrammetry and high-definition video capture.
    To investigate Quaternary palaeolandscape changes on the Bulgarian shelf, a total of 73 geological sediment samples were collected during this campaign. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    In 2017, the third archaeological field season was conducted from the research vessel Havila Subsea<\/i>, continuing investigations in Bulgarian Black Sea waters. The sediment coring programme was completed, with a focus on prehistoric habitation potential in the coastal zones near Sozopol, Cape Urdoviza, and the mouths of the Ropotamo and Veleka rivers. A total of 94 sediment cores were collected over all field seasons, with approximately 2<\/sup>,000 km\u00b2 of seabed mapped. <\/span><\/p>

    That year also marked the continuation of deep-sea investigations with ROVs at depths exceeding 2,000 metres. Over the course of the three field campaigns, 65 shipwrecks were discovered and examined using state-of-the-art technology. The oldest shipwreck, lying at 1,700 metres, dates to the time of Greek colonisation of the Black Sea (V century BC). Two exceptionally well-preserved Roman vessels from the III\u2013IV centuries AD and a remarkably intact Early Byzantine ship at 2,000 metres were also found. The majority of wrecks identified belonged to the Ottoman period (XVII\u2013XIX centuries).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    What makes these finds unique is the exceptional level of preservation, unmatched anywhere else in the world, thanks to the anoxic (oxygen-free) conditions in the deep waters of the Black Sea. <\/span><\/p>

    Although shipwreck discovery was not a primary aim of the Black Sea project, it became evident that such finds would be inevitable. In accordance with the conditions of the permit issued by Bulgarian authorities, all shipwrecks were recorded and evaluated. The number and condition of the shipwrecks far exceeded expectations, offering a wealth of new knowledge and drawing considerable international interest. <\/p>

    A new aspect introduced in 2017 was a deep dive to over 90 metres led by Prof. Jon Adams, underwater cameraman Roberto Rinaldi, and two support divers. Using a closed-circuit rebreather system, the team investigated a Xth-century shipwreck notable for its exceptionally well-preserved wooden hull. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Another innovation in the third season was the use of portable 3D printers onboard to produce scaled ship models from the completed digital reconstructions, allowing for close examination of minute construction details. <\/p>

    A group of students from the UK also participated in the 2017 season as part of the project\u2019s educational component. Under the guidance of onboard researchers, they took part in core sampling, 3D printing of ship models, and the documentation and observation of shipwrecks. Through a series of lectures, they also learned about Bulgarian history and archaeology, and geophysical and remote sensing methods in archaeology. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    At the end of 2018, a scientific conference was held to present the first results of the maritime archaeological expedition. <\/span><\/p>

    As a continuation of the Black Sea Project, between 2017 and 2019 underwater archaeological excavations were carried out at a multi-layered site in the bay at the mouth of the Ropotamo River. The international team placed a strong emphasis on training Bulgarian and international students in maritime archaeology. More on the results of these excavations can be found in the PROJECTS and ANNUAL REPORTS sections. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project The Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project is a long-term marine archaeological project conducted in Bulgarian territorial waters of the Black Sea between 2015 and 2019. The project was funded by the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust through the Expedition and Education Foundation, (UK). It was implemented in accordance with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":7707,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6433","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6433"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8205,"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6433\/revisions\/8205"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cua-sozopol.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}