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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide will help you learn more about INA and its features.

1. How can I get involved in nautical archaeology?

If you are interested in learning more about the field, you can become a member of INA and gain access to a host of benefits, including our quarterly publication which reports on current fieldwork. Your membership helps make archaeological research possible!

If you are interested in participating in an excavation, we recommend that you reach out to the director of the project that interests you to ask if you can volunteer. INA project directors are listed on our Projects page. Projects will have different needs at various stages. In many cases, be prepared to meet certain qualifications such as specific diving certifications or insurance.

We are always willing to review applications for internships at the Bodrum Research Center (BRC), our affiliated conservation laboratory in Turkey. If you are interested in learning more about the conservation of artifacts recovered from underwater environments, contact the Director of the BRC at tekmekci@nauticalarch.org.

There are a number of other institutions around the world that conduct nautical archaeology research. Check with the museums, historical societies, and universities in your area to see which opportunities are available.

Because nautical archaeology is primarily an academic discipline, you can also pursue a degree or take courses at an accredited university or college. If your research interests relate to work that we do, there’s a good chance we’ll be able to collaborate on projects.

2. Does INA offer a training program for prospective nautical archaeologists?

INA is not a degree-granting institution, nor are we a college, university, or certifying agency. INA is a non-profit organization dedicated to archaeological research; it primarily funds archaeological projects that meet the highest scientific, ethical, and anthropological standards, and then disseminates that knowledge.

However, INA is affiliated with Texas A&M University, which offers degree programs in nautical archaeology through the Department of Anthropology. Becoming an underwater archaeologist takes time and dedication. Most underwater archaeologists hold at least a master’s degree and find employment in academia, cultural resource management, museums, educational organizations, or non-profit organizations.

3. How do I get INA to fund or sponsor my archaeological project?

Archaeology is very expensive when conducted properly, so INA helps out certain archaeological projects with some of those costs. These projects adhere to the highest scientific and academic standards, meaning only those directed by reputable scholars or affiliated with reputable universities receive INA sponsorship. To have your project considered for INA support, submit a proposal to the Archaeological Committee

INA maintains the highest standards of academic integrity, and therefore we do not associate with anyone in the salvage or treasure-hunting businesses because the profit motive is not conducive to good archaeology. The depiction of treasure hunters in mainstream media has made it more difficult to separate out the trustworthy archaeologists from those who are not. Archaeology is about acquiring new knowledge through material culture. The information must be made publicly available and artifacts must be preserved for future generations. Anyone who regards artifacts more for their commercial value than their historical or communal value cannot be considered a reputable archaeologist. If you still have questions about the distinction between archaeology and salvage, please email or call us for more information!

4. I think I found a shipwreck/important artifact/something you’ll want to study. Will you take a look at it?

Thanks so much for your interest in nautical archaeology and we appreciate your choice to research the object in question! The best way for us to evaluate what it is you think you have found is to provide us with as much detail as you can. We can pass this information on to the Archaeological Committee, who will decide whether INA has the resources available to begin an excavation.

In the meantime, you can contact your local heritage, history, or state museum. They will probably have more information about the kinds of things you’re likely to find in your area, and will be better equipped to respond quickly and appropriately.

5. How do I apply for a job or internship with INA?

Unfortunately, we don’t have any current openings. INA is run by a small staff, many of whom are faculty and students of the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University.

We are always willing to review applications for internships at the Bodrum Research Center (BRC), our affiliated conservation laboratory in Turkey. If you are interested in learning more about the conservation of artifacts recovered from underwater environments, contact the Director of the BRC at tekmekci@nauticalarch.org.

6. How do I get permission to use images from your site?

Please email your requests to our archivist. The more information you can provide, the easier it will be to process your request. Please cite the photos you are interested in by the number in the caption, and please be prepared to explain the purpose for which you want to use them. The decision ultimately rests with the Project Director, who is likely to require that the images be used in favorable contexts.

7. Can I write an article for your website or the INA Quarterly?

One of the ways we keep operation costs low is to generate content for our website and for the INA Quarterly in-house. Our project blogs are updated by those in the field working on INA-sponsored excavations and surveys. Currently, we do not solicit guest posts or have a submission process in place for freelance writers. However, there are other opportunities for participation, usually by reviewing relevant books and exhibits. Email the assistant editor for more information: inaq@nauticalarch.org.

8. Can I advertise my company on your website or in the INA Quarterly?

Our website is advertisement-free. Please direct questions about placing advertisements in the INA Quarterly to the assistant editor: inaq@nauticalarch.org.