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| International Congress on Underwater Archaeology | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Congress on Underwater Archaeology |
| Abbreviation | ICOA |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Academic conference |
| Frequency | Biennial |
| Location | Rotating international venues |
| First | 1970s |
| Organized by | International Council on Monuments and Sites; International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property |
International Congress on Underwater Archaeology The International Congress on Underwater Archaeology is a recurring scholarly assembly that convenes specialists in maritime heritage such as Jacques-Yves Cousteau, George Bass (archaeologist), Domenico Accorinti, Honor Frost, and institutions like the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It serves as a forum linking practitioners from organizations including the Smithsonian Institution, British Museum, National Archaeological Museum (Athens), Museo Nazionale Romano, and regional bodies such as the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport to address issues evident in projects around sites like Uluburun shipwreck, Mary Rose, Antikythera wreck, Vasa (ship), and Batavia (shipwreck).
The congress emerged amid broader currents exemplified by events such as the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage negotiations and gatherings influenced by pioneers like George F. Bass, Honor Frost, Francesco Bandarin, and César Carrillo. Early meetings reflected methodological exchanges inspired by excavations at Cape Gelidonya, Skerki Bank, Port of Caesarea Maritima, Balcón del Mediterráneo, and site surveys led by teams from the University of Southampton, Texas A&M University, Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, University of Athens, and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Over successive decades the congress adapted to legal instruments such as the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001), policy frameworks from the Council of Europe, and technological revolutions driven by laboratories at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.
Governance structures mirror bodies like the International Council on Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS, ICOM (International Council of Museums), and national authorities including the Marine Management Organisation (UK), NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program, and the Australian National Maritime Museum. Committees are often chaired by academics from University College London, University of Oslo, University of Barcelona, University of Malta, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and professional societies such as the Society for Historical Archaeology and the European Association of Archaeologists. Sponsorship and ethical oversight involve collaborations with organizations including ICOMOS International Committee on Underwater Cultural Heritage, ICCROM, UNESCO, and funding agencies such as the European Research Council, National Endowment for the Humanities, and national research councils in Italy, Greece, Spain, France, United Kingdom, and United States.
Proceedings have documented fieldwork comparable to reports from the Mary Rose Trust, cataloging efforts akin to projects at the British Museum, analytical studies paralleling those at the Institute of Nautical Archaeology, and conservation case studies like those published by the Getty Conservation Institute. Conferences rotate through host cities such as Alexandria, Valletta, Istanbul, Lisbon, Ancona, Tunis, Odessa, Cadiz, and Split and produce edited volumes distributed by academic presses including Routledge, Cambridge University Press, Brill, and university presses of Oxford and Leiden. The corpus includes technical papers on survey campaigns at Dokos Island, excavations at Galtic sites, and policy panels discussing instruments like the UNESCO 2001 Convention and national statutes from Portugal, Italy, and Greece.
Themes address conservation case studies such as those undertaken for the Vasa, analytical methods developed alongside projects at HMS Victory (1737) wreck site and HMS Victory (1744), and interpretive frameworks influenced by maritime museums including the National Maritime Museum (Greenwich). Technical sessions focus on remote sensing technologies from Kongsberg Gruppen, sub-bottom profiling similar to work by Geological Survey of Norway, photogrammetry protocols used by teams at Archaeological Institute of America, and conservation chemistries studied at Institute of Archaeology (UCL). Legal and ethical panels examine instruments like the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and case law from jurisdictions such as Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, and United States.
Attendees include researchers from universities such as University of Southampton, Texas A&M University, University of St Andrews, University of Copenhagen, Sapienza University of Rome, and professionals from agencies like Historic England, Archaeological Service of Malta, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Gabon National Museum, and commercial firms including Fugro and Ocean Infinity. Membership and delegate lists routinely feature representatives of NGOs like Blue Shield International, foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and museum professionals from Louvre Abu Dhabi, Hermitage Museum, Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Madrid), and Museo Archeologico Nazionale (Naples).
The congress has shaped standards comparable to guidelines from ICOMOS and contributed to methodological advances seen in projects like Antikythera mechanism studies, Uluburun dendrochronology, and conservation programs exemplified by the Vasa Museum. It has influenced policy debates involving the UNESCO 2001 Convention, fostered capacity building in regions represented by delegations from Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Indonesia, Philippines, and supported training initiatives associated with INA (Institute of Nautical Archaeology) Training Program and university field schools at Balkans and Mediterranean sites.
Collaborative networks link institutions such as the Mediterranean Archaeological Network, Red Sea Research Center, Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project, and regional agencies including the Council of Europe and African Union Commission. Joint projects have paired teams from University of Malta with Museo Nazionale di Napoli, University of Southampton with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, and Texas A&M University with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, producing comparative studies across the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Red Sea, Caribbean Sea, and Baltic Sea regions.
Category:Underwater archaeology conferences