ANTH 685

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Archaeological Diving: Skills and Methods

Dr. Carolyn Kennedy

Office hours: 11:00-12:00, TR
Location: ANTH 122
Email: carolynkennedy13@tamu.edu
Phone: 518-572-8114

Course Description

This course provides an immersive, hands-on approach to underwater archaeology, guiding students through foundational and advanced methods both on land and underwater. Students will develop essential skills for conducting fieldwork beneath the water’s surface, using SCUBA to document and survey submerged sites, practice task-loading to maximize efficiency in data collection, and build confidence in their overall nautical abilities.

Course Prerequisites

Open Water (minimum) SCUBA certification from accredited agency
Approved Medical Examination

Course Learning Outcomes

Students will come away from this practicum course proficient in underwater archaeological mapping, documentation, and site recording techniques.
Master the use of underwater tools and technologies.
Create and evaluate dive safety plans for underwater archaeological sites.
Apply underwater excavation and artifact recovery methods.

Textbook

Recommended:
Bowens, A. (ed.). 2009. Underwater Archaeology: The NAS Guide to Principles and Practice. Second Edition. Nautical Archaeology Society.

Basis for Evaluation (Grading Policies):

Students will be graded on performed tasks as well as a short assignment and written exam.

Skills: (15%)
Confined Water Swim Tests

Swim underwater for 25 yards (23 meters) without surfacing.
Swim 400 yards (366 meters) in less than 12 minutes.
Tread water for 10 minutes, or 2 minutes without the use of hands.
Transport a passive person of equal size a distance of 25 yards (23 meters) in the water.

Open Water Dives: (50%)

Students will complete a minimum of 12 open water dives over the duration of the course testing various scientific diving skills.

Written Assignment: (10%)
Create an Emergency Action Plan for a dive site of your choosing.

Examination: (25%)
A final written examination that demonstrates knowledge of the following:

Function, care, use, and maintenance of diving equipment
Advanced physics and physiology of diving
Diving regulations
Applicable diving environments
Emergency procedures for OM-specific dive mode(s) and environments, including buoyant ascent and ascent by air sharing
Currently accepted decompression theory and procedures
Proper use of dive tables
Hazards of breath-hold diving and ascents
Planning and supervision of diving operations
Navigation
Diving hazards & mitigations
Cause, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of the following: near drowning, air embolism, hypercapnia, squeezes, oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis, exhaustion and panic, respiratory fatigue, motion sickness, decompression sickness, hypothermia, and hypoxia/anoxia
Applicable theoretical training and knowledge development

Late Work Policy

Late work will receive a 10% deduction every day late.
Work submitted by a student as makeup work for an excused absence is not considered late work and is exempted from the late work policy (Student Rule 7).

ALL COURSES

Policies and Statements

Full list of Policies and Statements TAMU
Students Rules

Course Schedule:

(The schedule is a subject to change, revisions, and refinements which will be posted)

Week 1	Classroom	Course Introduction; Syllabus and Requirements Review
Week 2	NO CLASS
Week 3	Classroom	Dive Tables; Dive Safety; Underwater Tools; Mapping & Site recording
Week 4	Pool Day	Swim tests	By the completion of training, the candidate must demonstrate the following in the presence of the DSO or designee. All tests are to be performed without swim aids. However, where exposure protection is needed, the candidate must be appropriately weighted to provide for neutral buoyancy. Swim underwater for a distance of 25 yards (23 meters) without surfacing. Swim 400 yards (366 meters) in less than 12 minutes. Tread water for 10 minutes, or 2 minutes without the use of hands. Transport a passive person of equal size a distance of 25 yards (23 meters) in the water. At the completion of training, the trainee must satisfy the DSO or DCB-approved designee of their ability to perform the following, as a minimum, in a pool or in sheltered water: Enter water fully equipped for diving Clear fully flooded face mask Demonstrate air sharing and ascent using an alternate air source, as both donor and recipient, with and without a face mask OPTIONAL - Demonstrate stationary buddy breathing as both donor and recipient, Demonstrate understanding of underwater signs and signals Demonstrate ability to remove and replace equipment while submerged Demonstrate acceptable watermanship skills for anticipated scientific diving conditions
Week 5	Classroom	Dive safety; Emergency Action Plans
Week 6	Classroom	Navigation	Obstacle course outside
Week 7	Dive day 1	Dives 1 & 2
Week 8	Dive day 2	Dives 3, 4 & 5
Week 9	Classroom	Excavation & Artifact Recovery; Knots and nautical skills
Week 10		Caro at AAUS Conference
Week 11	Dive day 3	Dives 6, 7, & 8
Week 12	Dive day 4	Dives 9, 10, & 11
Week 13	Classroom
Week 14	Dive day 5	Dives 12, 13, & 14
Week 15	Exam	Written Exam

Course Information Items

Students are responsible for their own personal SCUBA equipment including exposure protection (wetsuits), BCD, regulator (which must include first stage, second stage, alternative air source, and pressure gauge/compass), dive computer, mask, fins, and snorkel. Personal equipment must be maintained and up to date on servicing requirements prior to any dives.

Other beneficial personal equipment: weights and weight belts.

Tanks will be supplied by the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation (CMAC). Tank fills will be acquired through Aggieland SCUBA, or via CMAC compressor as part of course training.