We head back 8,000 years this week! Agios Petros is the earliest submerged site in the Aegean. This Neolithic site is 8000 years old and reveals astonishing insights into how the farmers, fishermen and seafarers that lived there, were part of an expansive Neolithic network connected by sailing ships – far more sophisticated than ever imagined. The team even found remains of tuna bones and specialized fishing equipment, indicating that they were capable of deep sea fishing. Domesticated animal re...
Nov 12, 2022•29 min
In this episode, Bettany heads to Turkey. The site of Yenikapi, in Istanbul, is home to one of the largest archaeological digs in the world, covering over 58,000 square metres, discovered during development work. Most of the remains relate to the artificial Theodosian Harbour from the Byzantine period including over 37 remarkably well-preserved shipwrecks, the largest group of Byzantine shipwrecks ever found. The site is a treasure trove of finds, from preserved camel skeletons to a container of...
Nov 05, 2022•32 min
Welcome to Episode 3 of our Ancient World series, in this episode Bettany heads to the Bay of Naples, where in the middle of a volcanic landscape a Roman city now lies underwater. The Roman city at Baia is now submerged due to volcanic movement, the site has become a vast archaeological marine park, with statues, villas and mosaics visible underwater. Often referred to as the Las Vegas of the Roman world, it was the playground of the Roman elite. Bettany heads to Baia to see the site and Lucy fi...
Oct 28, 2022•25 min
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Dive & Dig Ancient World Series. In this episode, finds from two key 4th century BC shipwreck sites in Cyprus at Mazotos and Kyrenia tell us about trade and connectivity in Classical Greece. Olive stones, amphorae and small vessels bring the crews of one ancient ship back to life and the art of ancient seafaring and navigation is revealed through a series of ship replicas. Bettany visits the conservation lab in Cyprus to see some of the remarkable finds from the M...
Oct 21, 2022•31 min
Welcome to the first episode of our new series! Presented by historian, Professor Bettany Hughes, and maritime archaeologist, Dr Lucy Blue who journey across the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. In this episode we explore Wadi El Jarf, the site of the oldest known artificial sea harbour in the world. Located on the Red Sea of Egypt, it was built about 4500 years ago. It reveals around 30 caves housing finds including amazingly preserved dismantled wooden boats, rigging material, and a papyrus arch...
Oct 14, 2022•28 min
Lucy Blue talks to the team behind a new smartphone app, allowing users to explore the ancient harbour of Amathus off the coast of Cyprus. This EU-funded project allows visitors to explore the site with both walking and swimming tours, and for those unable to visit you can use the app to explore the site through immersive photos, videos, 3D models and an interactive map.
Sep 01, 2022•10 min
In this episode, we speak to Tom Cousins and Dave Parham from Bournemouth University about a recently discovered 13th Century shipwreck off the Dorset Coast. The team were surprised to discover ship timbers surviving after 700 years, and the site, which contains a rather unusual cargo, is now the oldest protected wreck in the UK. #maritime #archaeology #shipwreck #dorset #newdiscovery
Aug 02, 2022•13 min
In the third and final part of our special IKUWA conference series, we hear about initiatives to protect and promote our underwater heritage at risk from looting, climate change and a multitude of other threats. #underwater #archaeology #shipwrecks #treasurehunters #looting #protection #heritage
Jul 06, 2022•24 min
In part II of our special IKUWA conference series, we reveal that maritime archaeology is not just about shipwrecks, exploring Neolithic lake settlements, ancient fishing and boats in bogs, as well as the first project of its kind in Pakistan. #underwater #archaeology #neolithic #prehisoric #pakistan #norway #logboats #bogs #fishing #cyprus
Jul 06, 2022•31 min
Part I of the special IKUWA conference edition of our podcast looks at Shipwrecks - Timecapsules from the Deep! We hear from five speakers all of whom are working on a range of shipwreck sites, including warships, royal ships, merchant ships and even U-Boats. #archaeology #underwater #shipwrecks #warships #wwI #wwII
Jul 06, 2022•32 min
We recently attended the International Congress for Underwater Archaeology (IKUWA) in Helsinki and spoke to some fascinating researchers, from Shipwrecks to prehistoric lake settlements, and from battles against treasure hunters to the opening of dive parks, we gained insights into some of the fascinating research being undertaken around the globe to better understand our maritime past.
Jul 06, 2022•1 min
In this news piece, we travel to Tallinn, Estonia's capital, and get to see the ongoing excavation of a medieval shipwreck discovered during coastal development. The team are also believed to have found the oldest compass whilst excavating the site! This is the second medieval merchant ship found in the area, back in 2015 another ship was discovered, and is now on display in the Maritime Museum, housed in a medieval tower in the old town, known as the 'Fat Margaret'! #shipwreck #medieval #tallin...
Jun 30, 2022•17 min
This month an exhibition about the ground-breaking Phoenician Shipwreck Project is being held at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, Malta. The ship was found in 110 metres of water and dates back to the 7th Century BC. It is the first archaeological excavation by divers in more than 100m of water, not only is the site revealing more secrets about the Phoenicians but it is also breaking new ground in underwater technology. We talk to Timmy Gambin about the site and the exhibition.
May 24, 2022•13 min
In the latest episode of Dive & Dig News we spoke to Rawda Abdelhady from the Raquda Foundation about their amazing project to document the tangible and intangible heritage of a remarkable coastal community in El Max, Alexandria, which is under threat from development. #coastalcommunities #intangibleheritage #maritimearchaeology #Egypt #Alexandria #ElMax
Apr 20, 2022•15 min
We talk to ocean scientist Dr Nic Flemming about his new book - Apollonia on my Mind - The memoir of a paraplegic ocean scientist. The ocean conceals secrets, ancient, modern, and future. Nic Flemming’s memoir recounts the life of a pioneer in ocean science. Each chapter describes a thread that structured his work: underwater cities, submerged Ice Age caverns dripping with stalactites, the limits to ocean exploitation, ocean climate change, prehistoric settlements on the continental shelf, ocean...
Mar 30, 2022•15 min
This week we talk to Brendan Foley and Gitte Ingvardson from Lund University about their use of new scientific techniques to uncover ancient coins from the wreck of the 15th Century royal Danish warship Gribshunden. This remarkably well-preserved wreck in the Baltic contains a fascinating array of artefacts, here they tell us about the techniques they are using to uncover more about this significant site.
Mar 16, 2022•14 min
To mark International Women’s Day the University of Helsinki held a roundtable discussion as part of their global conversations in maritime archaeology, this discussion was on Women in Maritime Archaeology - Four different women, four different stories, and four equally passionate and culturally diverse narratives. Hosted by Dr Lucy Semaan from the Honor Frost Foundation team in Lebanon, we spoke to her afterwards to find out what was discussed, what key messages we can take from this and what w...
Mar 08, 2022•15 min
Beirut is one of Lebanon’s most extensively excavated, surveyed, and published coastal archaeological sites. The horrific explosion at the port city on August 4th, 2020 left over 200 dead, 6500 injured, and displaced over 300,000 people after catastrophic damage to residential and commercial structures up to 20 km from the point of detonation. The blast caused irreparable damage not only to the modern city and its inhabitants, but also struck at the heart of Lebanese cultural heritage. The ancie...
Mar 01, 2022•13 min
The first episode in our exciting new 'news' series! Bringing you the latest discoveries from the world of maritime archaeology. In this episode, Dr Timmy Gambin reveals what they have discovered from a human tooth found on a 2,700-year-old shipwreck!
Feb 15, 2022•17 min
Jan 06, 2022•2 min
Join maritime archaeologist, Stella Demesticha from the University of Cyprus to hear what she has found on the Mazotos shipwreck off the coast of Cyprus. She describes amphorae – ceramic containers of the ancient world - what they contained and how they were made. Together with Cynthianne Spiteri – a scientist who analyses lipids, oil and fat compounds from inside amphorae, they are able to identify what containers found on a 2500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck, were carrying. This in turn can te...
Dec 06, 2021•16 min
Discover how maritime archaeologist, Jon Adams has used re-breathers and mixed gases to allow archaeological divers to go deeper and stay longer on sites. Jon also explains how digital technologies have revolutionised maritime archaeological investigation, allowing research to be conducted more accurately and efficiently underwater. We no longer need to spend hours drawing by hand, today new technologies enable the production of a 3-D printed model of a ship in just a few hours! Jon also talks a...
Nov 29, 2021•30 min
Learn how MIT engineer, Marty Klein developed the now widely used side-scan sonar to find shipwrecks. First developed for the military during WW II – it uses sound to detect ships and other lost objects in the ocean depths. While searching for the elusive monster Nessie in Scotland’s Loch Ness, he went on to find the USS Thresher – the Wellington bomber that plunged into the loch on a training mission. Besides its military applications, side scan sonar was also deployed after the Titanic tragedy...
Nov 22, 2021•25 min
Discover how Dr Jon Henderson, maritime archaeologist is approaching the global challenges that currently face maritime cultural heritage and coastal communities. Jon is part of the Ocean Decade Heritage Network and describes how the Network is working towards improving the health of our oceans by tackling unsustainable fishing, loss of coastal sites, pollution and climate change. Another key project – Rising from the Depths – funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund, aims to show how marit...
Nov 15, 2021•21 min
Join Helen Farr, maritime archaeologist as she takes us to islands in the Southeast Asian Sea to learn more about how early humans navigated the oceans 65,000 years ago, journeying from the Flores Islands of Indonesia to the northern part of Australia. #maritimearchaeology #earlyseafaring #climatechange #australia #indonesia #helenfarr
Nov 08, 2021•34 min
Our Dive & Dig In Depth series contains some of the full interviews from series one of Dive & Dig. Starting with Philippe Cousteau, explorer and environmental advocate. He describes how the aqualung, co-invented by his grandfather Jacques Cousteau, changed exploration of the water depths forever - allowing us to swim freely like fish - and that the oceans are not full of monsters and krakens, but hold endless wonders. Following the legacy of his grandfather, Philippe is also a conservati...
Nov 01, 2021•29 min
Bettany Hughes and Lucy Blue are joined by Helen Farr to discuss the influence of the early navigators and Phillip Beale reflects on his project to create a replica Phoenician galley. Tanzanian marine archaeologist Claudia Lubao aka singer Chemical, alerts her followers to the value of maritime culture and Phillipe Cousteau warns of the potentially damaging impact of climate change on underwater heritage. #titanic #maritimehistory #history #marinearchaelogy #diving #scuba #bettanyhughes #honorfr...
Jul 14, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Bettany Hughes and Lucy Blue dive into the world of underwater archaeology and are joined by Timmy Gambin who is diving on a Phoenician shipwreck in 110m of water. In this episode we find out what happens when a ship sinks and what cutting-edge techniques help archaeologists analyse the remains and tell the story today. We also discover how the Phoenician's developed trade in textile dyes and what rowers might have been smoking to help get them through the hard times! #bettanyhughes #timmygambin...
Jul 07, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Bettany Hughes and Lucy Blue dive into the world of underwater archaeology and are joined by Timmy Gambin, David Abulafia and Claude Doumet-Serhal. In this episode, they discuss how Phoenician traders dramatically opened up the Mediterranean, explore the harbours that they traded through and discover how changing sea-levels over time can submerge ancient civilisations. #maritimehistory #history #marinearchaelogy #diving #scuba #bettanyhughes #honorfrost #bobballard #philippecousteau #underwaterh...
Jun 30, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Bettany Hughes and Lucy Blue are joined by explorer Bob Ballard as they journey beneath the waves. They find out how sonar and remote vehicles have been used to discover shipwrecks such as the Titanic and the potential for many more sites yet to be discovered #titanic #maritimehistory #history #marinearchaelogy #diving #scuba #bettanyhughes #honorfrost #bobballard #philippecousteau #underwaterhistory #nautical
Jun 23, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 2
