A new joint UCPH School of Archaeology and Viking Ship Museum summer school course: Introduction to Maritime Archaeology
Introduction to Maritime Archaeology through summer school
Denmark provides very detailed source material for the field of maritime archaeology. With finds of ships and submerged settlements, it is one of the key starting points for the discipline and has since been a proving ground for a majority of its developments. With this solid basis, the School of Archaeology at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde hosted a summer school course July 29-August 7 entitled Introduction to Maritime Archaeology. The 1.5-week, 7.5-ECTS course was attended by BA- and MA-students from the university, and organised by Prof. Eva Andersson Strand, Head of UCPH School of Archaeology and Dr. Athena Trakadas, Senior Researcher, Viking Ship Museum.
The course was hosted by the museum, whose expertise extends from conducting maritime archaeological fieldwork on a variety of submerged archaeological sites, boat- and ship-building to other forms of maritime crafts. Guest talks were held by eight Viking Ship Museum colleagues from the research, marine archaeology and boat-building sections. Additional lectures were held by nine colleagues from the National Museum in Brede, and UCPH’s Centre for Textile Research and Globe Institute, with visits to their laboratories.
The course syllabus covered the research history, up-to-date theories, methods, research agendas, and heritage management and policy issues within the field of maritime archaeology, touching upon global case-studies but primarily focusing on Scandinavia and Northern Europe. Lectures were supplemented by practical experience in documentation and interpretation methods, including experimental archaeology and practical experience sailing traditional Nordic vessels.
Prof. Eva Andersson Strand, Head of UCPH School of Archaeology
Dr. Athena Trakadas, Senior Researcher, Viking Ship Museum