Underwater archaeology

Danish underwater archaeology has a long and successful history. So has the relationship between professional archaeological museums and the sport diving community.

The Underwater Archaeology Committee of the Danish Sport Diving Federation was formed only a few years after the Federation itself. Its purpose is to engage members in underwater archaeology, to provide training and to facilitate cooperation between sport divers and museums.

The committee's two main responsibilities are:

• Liaison with museums and government bodies with the aim of contributing to the public awareness and the preservation of underwater sites and monuments
• Training of members

The course programme includes:

• a one-day introductory course where the diver is prepared for the encounter with an archaeological find: what to look for, what to do and not to do, simple survey methods etc.
• a one-day course in shipwreck archaeology: typology, dating etc.
• a one-day course in Stone Age underwater archaeology: artefact typology, settlement models, flora and fauna, and much more
• occasional/on-demand one-day or evening courses dealing with topics such as:
  • positioning then and now - pitfalls in written sources
  • aerial photographs as sources for shipwrecks
  • U-boats

All of the above are theoretical courses on dry land. As for testing the skills underwater, we are to some extent limited by legislation: While diving as such is generally permitted on archaeological sites and monuments in Danish waters, sport divers may not engage in any archaeological activity that interferes with the site; in effect we can only observe.

Hence our practical courses are always carried out in collaboration with one of the country's five underwater archaeology museums:

• The main event is the biannual archaeology course onboard the three-masted schooner Fulton, launched 1915 and today itself a historic vessel. This is effectively an introductory course with added practical exercises undertaken on some of our most prominent sites while cruising through the waters of Denmark. The event is held under the auspices of one of the underwater archaeology museums.
• We also strive to offer at least one one-day excursion to an underwater site per year. This may either be linked to the Stone Age course or independent of previous course participation.

As a powerful addition to the programme of 'wet' activities we are now able to assist individual members or member clubs in conducting remote sensing surveys. We provide (manned) magnetometer and side-scan sonar surveying equipment to serious projects willing to share the information gathered with the wider community and the authorities.

From time to time we also organise museum visits and every three years we organise a conference in collaboration with the museums where all stakeholders - sport divers, amateur historians, museum curators, etc. - get together for a briefing of the past years' activities in our field.

Through partnership with the British-based Nautical Archaeology Society we are also able to offer our members access to the NAS' wide array of specialty courses held at venues around the world. For those interested in reading more about underwater archaeology in general and the Danish scene in particular we recommend visiting our Links page.