Recently, I was sharing with a friend about my summer internship opportunity through the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.  Specifically, I mentioned that I am excited to learn more about maritime archeology and its applications in South Carolina’s long and rich history.  My friend asked, “Are maritime and marine archeology the same thing?”  I had to say “I t-h-i-n-k so.  Let me get back to you.”  

I decided that considering I just began Spring break, I should probably spend some time researching the topic.  The answer is, yes, maritime and marine archeology are considered the same thing; at least from what I have read.  According to Google, maritime archeology is the study of past human cultures with an emphasis on how hums interacted with the world’s oceans, lakes and river systems.

The University of South Carolina actual has a maritime research division within the South Carolina Institute for Archeology and Anthropology (USC-Columbia).  This division often uses drones and submersibles to navigate the rivers and coastal waters of South Carolina.  Through this exploration they often explore shipwrecks ranging from a four-masted Norwegian sailing ship that sank in 1919 to a steamship bound for Savannah from Baltimore lost on the shoals of the Port Royal Sound in 1899.  I look forward to reading more articles on the topic of maritime archeology as I gear-up for this summer.