Norwegian history is strongly associated with the ocean and the coast. For thousands of years, our ancestors have exploited natural resources in the ocean, and since prehistoric times, a large part of the population has settled along the coast and established local maritime societies.

Throughout the ages maritime activities have left traces along the coastlines of the world, both on land and under the sea in the form of shipwrecks, harbour constructions, fishing and whaling stations, boathouses, mooring systems, navigation marks, place names, oral tradition, as well as maritime symbolical expressions. All of these elements comprise parts of a maritime cultural landscape that we can explore and aim to protect for future generations.

Maritime Archaeology concentrates on the following aspects:

• Maritime Aspects of Culture
• Maritime Cultural Landscape in Comparative Perspectives
• Boat and Ship-building
• Technologies
• Ship Science in Archaeology
• Seafaring in the World
• Marine Natural Resources
• Underwater Cultural Heritage Management
• Archaeological Oceanography.
• Underwater Archaeology
• Deep Water Archaeology
• Conservation of Underwater Archaeological sites.

The Department of Archaeology and Religious Studies is one of the leading education and research institutions for Maritime Archaeology in the world. Our MPhil programme focuses strongly on international coop-eration, comparative perspectives, and the interdisciplinary approach.