Wooden Boats and Ship Building

Would you like to discover more about wooden boats and shipbuilding? This two-day course will combine classroom theory with a practical sessions inspecting materials used and recording fixtures and fittings employed in the construction of HMS Trincomalee. This course will also include a guided tour of HMS Trincomalee and with time to explore the museum. Through this course you will get the opportunity to put theory obtained in the classroom into practice.

Would you like to learn more about wood conservation? Through this course you will be introduced to a number of relevant topics regarding wood conservation including, wood structure, chemistry and analysis, conservation treatments, controlled air drying and current research.

Basic understand of weather forecasting as well as the UK shipping forecast is very important when it comes to carrying out dives and underwater archaeological work. This course aims to give you that basic theoretical understandings on all relevant information that helps our understanding of global weather conditions as well a offering a practical sessions to help you makes sense of synopsis weather charts.

Would you like to build your skills and knowledge of DVD production and videography? This course is designed to help you learn how to produce an edited version of video material recorded during a session of work on a site.

Are you interested in survey Management or have experience in fieldwork and want to expand your skills? Through this course you will learn about planning, management, processing and repot on survey work undertaken on maritime sites.

Would you like to learn about submerged landscapes and how the archaeological evidence from intertidal and submerged sites and what they can tell us about prehistoric landscapes? Through a series of presentations and practical online sessions you will also get the opportunity to participate in an ongoing project after the course! (This course will not deal with submerged cities either real or mythical such as Atlantis)

Are you interested in Viking ships and other square-rigged boats? This course offers a unique opportunity to take advantage of the research and knowledge that has been accumulated through a practical and theoretical approach at the Viking ship museum in Roskilde.

Social History Of Ships

Are you interested in the social History of ships? Are you fascinated by the lives of those who lived at sea? This course will explore, form an archaeological perspective, 17 th , and 18 th century maritime activities on both local and global. By the end of the course not only will you have gained a greater understanding of the social history of ships but also have developed skills in analysing materials and artefacts in relations to people’s activities and other contextualised social factors.

Does the practice of geographic information systems in maritime archaeology interest you? Through this course you will be able to identify the objects appropriate for recording each data type encountered in maritime and intertidal archaeology work as well as giving you skills and opportunity to plan and execute recording work on a maritime or intertidal site!

Would you like to know more about ship design and ship science? Through this course you will be introduced to the science and engineering behind ship design giving you a better understanding of how ships float and why.

Would you like to learn more about search methods? During this course you will be given a practical insight into the application of diver search methods, position fixing and seabed mapping techniques within archaeological field projects.

Would you like to be able to complete the seasearch observation form and take part in seasearch dives? Through this online course you can do just that as you are introduced to seasearch and marine recording in this online course.

Are you interested in sails and rigging and their developments through history? Through a mixture of short lectures and practical recording sessions, you will gain an understanding of the principles of the technology of propulsions through water, the evolution of different sail and rigging types and the relevance of an understanding of the sailing practice to understand wreck sites.

Would you like to learn more about Anglo-Saxon ship design? Are you fascinated by the Sutton Hoo story and archaeology? During this course you will have the opportunity to not only learn about Anglo-Saxon ship design and construction methods but will also include a visit to the Sutton Hoo site! This will also provide a chance at exploring experimental archaeology and the possibilities it reveals.

Would you like to learn about rope recording or expand your knowledge? During this course you will have the opportunity to not only learn and then take recordings of rope samples taken from real archaeological sites. But throughout this course you will also be made aware to the importance of cordage (rope/rigging) in archaeology and what questions to ask when uncovering and recording samples.

Would you like to learn more about roman glass and how roman glass is made? This course will not only give you the experience in blown, cast, fused and lamp worked glass. But also focus on the romans influence on glass in the entirely practical course!

Would you like to improve for better understand research of shipwrecks and other maritime sites? This course will provide a ‘why, how and what’ introduction research and help you understand how research can be undertaken.

Would you like to learn or improve report writing skills? This course through presentations, discussions and practical sessions will teach you the principals involved in planning your report, the basic structure required, and skills needed to produce a good quality report including information on referencing and writing an abstract.

Do you want to learn more and be able to use GIS software? This course will teach you all about QGIS a freely available software package commonly used by archaeologists. Through this course you will understand how to use this software as well as skills that can be used when using other GIS Programmes.

Would you like to be able to confidently run public engagement activities for a wide variety of audiences? This course will equip you with the skills to engage with the public, decide on aims and objectives, picking target audiences and how to design and run activities not only this but how to effectively use technology and social media.

Whether it is for business, research or archaeology publications and know the importance of a good publication is important. During this course there will be an explanation and discussion of what is needed for a successful and useful publication, and ensuring that the right information and images are acquired during fieldwork and research.

Do you have a project you would like to manage? Or do you want to learn more about project management? This course will provide an insight into some of the factors that are needed when running projects in marine archaeology!

Are you interested in honing your skills or learning about position fixing the practice of terrestrial surveying? Using a range of different approaches are explored from high-tech digital surveying to low-tech procedures suitable for rapid surveys, all to develop your surveying skills.

Do you want to learn more about popular publication and how important they can be to you? This course will look at methods of popular publication and dissemination including leaflets, booklets, posters, presentations, the writing of press releases as well as the use of television and radio!

Photogrammetry is a very useful tool the to learn. Through this course you will get the opportunity to understand how to take photographs of maritime artefacts. There you will get opportunities to take photos and create 3D models of finds from a wreck.

Ordnance and Gun Recording

Are you interested in the Technology of marine artillery and ammunition along with the methods of recording them? Through the use of short lectures and practical sessions you will have the opportunity to not only learn about different ammunition but also how to record them and draw up real guns.

Online public engagement for an increasingly digital world

Do you want to learn more about the practical and theoretical experience of content creation for promotion and public engagement online? from idea to creation, uploading and evaluating. This course will help equip you with background knowledge of the subject and to then apply this to present day practices and platforms for effective engagement.

Are you interested in the Study of Numismatics or are you just interested in coins found at sea? This course will introduce you to the manufacture of coins, their typologies and conservation of coins found underwater. Through theoretical presentations and practical sessions you will see how the study of coinage can contribute to the interpretation of the archaeological record.

Would you like to learn the practical insights into the workings of a museum and the planning of a new museum from vision and design to opening and post-opening programmes? Through this course you will explore the aspects of museology with special reference to maritime archaeology, museum education and access issues. Primarily using the Mary rose Museum as a case study.

The study of corrosion, conservation, and investigation of metal from a marine environment is very important to nautical archaeology. This course will focus on metals such as iron, copper alloys, lead based alloys and composites. The course will include a combination of lectures and practical sessions delivered by experienced maritime conservators.

This course gives you the opportunity to be introduced to modern iron and steel shipping and their place within the archaeological record. Through a combination of classroom presentations and practical sessions you will being to understand how to record features of metal wrecks that are required to characterise sites and connect it within the historical record.

Would you like an insight into the current methods employed when undertaking marine geophysical surveys for maritime archaeology? This two-day course will cover the use of various remote sensing technologies including surface positioning using GPS, single beam echo sounder, side scan sonar, magnetometer, sub-bottom profiler and multibeam echo sounder. The following day will take a more practical approach including survey boat mobilization, demobilization, GPS.

Knots are an age-old skill used throughout maritime history. This course will give you an introduction to knots and be able to transfer the theory of knot tying to ‘hands on skill’ ranging from basic knot tying to an elevated level of applied practical rope work. By the end of the course, you should be able to identify knots, bends and hitches, with the aim of being able to make various nautical Knots.

Would you like to gain theoretical and practical first-hand experience of using various surveying and recording methods on a couple of intertidal vessels? Through this course you will be provided an introduction on the variety of different surveying methods available for the recording of this type of intertidal site, as well as a practical exercise in the use of surveying equipment including a total station, plane table. Planning frame as well as direct survey methods using tapes.

Would you like to know more about the principles and understanding behind the degradation and preservation of underwater cultural heritage? With climate change affecting the water characteristics and potentially the preservation of archaeology in the marine environment it this course will allow you to understand the degradation process involved and what can be done to mitigate the heritage degradation in the short/medium term. This course will explore physical, chemical, and biological aspects that should be considered in the degradation of wooden objects, such as ships or small artefacts in the marine environment.

Identification of Bricks for archaeological sites

Have you ever wondered how and why bricks are connected to ships? This course will aim to give you information why they were used on ships as well as covering the history of brick making, how to identify early bricks and how changes in size and manufacturing techniques help to identify when they are likely to have been made.

Iconography is a subject of archaeological and historical research. This course will aim to introduce you to this subject through both lectures and practical exercises, the course will address questions such as: what is maritime iconography, and why is this a useful topic of study for an archaeologist? This course will also give you the opportunity to see how maritime iconography developed over time by looking at change of medium, style and content from prehistory to the present-day.

Hulked vernacular vessels abandoned in the inter-tidal zone provide fascinating opportunities for recording. This course will provide you with a theoretical and practical insight into the recording of these vessels. Through on-site demonstration and practical exercises on the remains of an inter-tidal vessel, you will learn the practical techniques for recording hulked vessels in plan and in elevation using methods such as vertical offset.

Would you like to know more about the Holistic Wreck? This two-day course will first introduce you to the wreck and to sea search as well as recording survey and diving techniques with the second day focusing on wreck structures- sketching & photography dive.

Gun Identification and Recording

Would you like to better understand the history and development of guns and be able to create detailed records of any gun found on land or underwater? With an emphasis on Dutch and Hapsburg cannon in relation to the Dunwich bank wreck, this course will give you the opportunity to learn gun identification and recording including a review of gun types and the evolution of both iron and brass guns.

Would you like to find out more about GIS (geographical information systems) in archaeology? Through a balance of short lectures, demonstrations, and practical’s, you’ll use a map info and arcview as tools to create, integrate, query, and map a range of geographical data.

Geophysics Processing

Did the Geophysics course leave you wanting more? Then this course is for you. This advanced coursed leads on from the previous geophysics course and concentrates on post-processing and reporting techniques. Helping you to understand methods used to process data from various marine Geophysics technologies.

As seen on Time Team Geophysics is an important tool in the archaeologist’s belt. The same can be said for the use of Geophysics in maritime archaeology. This course will provide you an explanation of all different types of and technologies of Maritime Archaeological Geophysics.

Would you like to find out more or be introduced to funding opportunities for archaeological projects in the UK? This course will give a series of short lectures by from those with experience in of successful grant applications or who work for grant making bodies, followed by practical sessions in making funding strategies for mock projects. Given you the experience and know how to find funding for your archaeological projects.

Would you like to learn about Flint Knapping? Now you can with this Flint Knapping course you will learn everything there is to know of flint from palaeolithic to 19 th century. This course will cover technology and recognition as well as what it was used for and what they can tell us, as well as giving you the opportunity to try your hand at some flint Knapping.

First Aids for Finds/ Management of Archaeological Material

First aid for Finds is one of the most important aspects to underwater archaeology. Through this two -day course you will gain a better understanding of the structure and decay of organic materials and metals, how they survive in a marine environment and mostly importantly you will begin to learn the conservation processes that are required to ensure the long-term preservation of artefacts.

Would you like to know how underwater excavation is carried out or would you like to develop your knowledge and skills? This course aims to introduce and develop skills in the two main underwater excavation tools- the water dredge and the airlift. This course will give you both a theoretical approach and practical sessions in excavations giving you the opportunity to recognise the advantages, the logistics and safety implications of using each excavation technique.

FAQs | Nautical Archaeology Society

Q: Using The National Archives

Have you ever wanted to know how to use The National Archives, in the UK? Do you feel like there is research you can tap into but aren’t sure how? Then this course is for you! Through a combination of practical experience and guided tuition, you will learn how to use the resources at The National Archives in Kew, London, and be aware of which other archives may have data relevant to your project.

Prehistoric Boat Building

Click here to discover more about our Prehistoric Boat Building course