ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNDERWATER SURVEY ON THE MEDITERRANEAN SHORES
The association aims to ensure the activation and development of scientific activities in the field of Mediterranean Archeology, to protect and support the conservation of cultural heritage in the coastal and underwater, to carry out awareness studies in the protection of cultural heritage, to support scientific excavations and research, to support museum and archeopark projects in the region, to carry out scientific activities and it was established to support scientists and organizations working on the subject. The association was founded in Antalya by a group of archaeologists, businessmen and tourism professionals.
More.. >Underwater archaeological surveys along the coastline in the provinces of Antalya, Mersin, Adana and Hatay have been going on since 2000 with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The surveys, which were jointly carried out by the Mediterranean Civilizations Research Institute/Mediterranean Underwater Cultural Heritage Research Department team of Akdeniz University using the Archaeological Scientific Research and Excavation Ship (Arkeo). Beside numerous anchors and other various remains, a total of 282 shipwrecks -211 along Antalya’s coastline, 65 along Mersin’s coastline, 4 along Hatay’s coastline and 2 along Adana’s coastline- were identified. Cultural heritage items including wrecks and other archaeological properties were identified by exploring natural or man-made harbours, capes, shallow areas and islets. There are areas still not yet explored on the 1.577 km.-long Mediterranean coastline of Turkey. With the advancement of technology, previously surveyed areas were surveyed again, thus identifying new wrecks and remains not noticed before.
Charter of the Association (PDF)
