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Call for Applications: Advanced Underwater Archaeology Course 2014 (Deadline: 11 July 2014)
Applications are now open for the third Advanced Underwater Archaeology Course offered by the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology (ICUA), a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO. The course, lasting 2 weeks, will be held in and around Pula, Croatia, from 15 to 27 September 2014. It is organized with the support of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, Venice (Italy).
Participants will receive theoretical and practical instruction in the techniques, practices and technology involved in underwater excavations. They will attend lectures conducted by ICUA experts and guest speakers, and will also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience as part of an underwater excavation team studying ancient shipwrecks off the coast of Pula.
Prospective applicants should be archaeologists (including researchers and graduate students) familiar with diving who have at least some basic practical experience of underwater archaeology. The aim is to provide participants with advanced knowledge and practical skills that will enable them to go on to qualify as members of archaeological teams in the future. English language proficiency is also required.
The course will accept a maximum of 8 trainees. The first four selected applicants are eligible to have their participation costs met in full by the organisers (for citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey). The remaining places are reserved for applicants who meet the stated requirements and are willing to cover their own expenses. As far as possible, the selection process will seek to take into account factors such as geographical distribution and gender balance.
The theoretical part of the course will include lectures on a variety of relevant topics, from the conservation of underwater finds to advanced techniques of underwater documentation. As part of the mandatory practical exercises, conducted on a daily basis, participants will familiarize themselves with the equipment involved in the various stages of underwater archaeological excavations and surveys. Those wishing to receive diving instruction or attend one of the additional specialized courses will obtain an SSI/PADI Certificate alongside the official ICUA certificate of successful course completion.
The deadline for applications is 11 July 2014.
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The ICUA was founded in Zadar in 2007 with a view to preserving the underwater material culture of Croatia, South East Europe and the wider Mediterranean. It promotes the ratification and implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which was adopted in 2001 to coordinate the safeguarding of submerged historical sites and prevent their destruction (Croatia was among the first signatories in 2004). Through a combination of educational activities, academic and scientific research and conservation projects, the Centre seeks to encourage regional cooperation and capacity-building in the field of underwater archaeology.
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