The Oxford Handbook of Maritime Archaeology is a comprehensive survey of the field as seen through the eyes of nearly fifty scholars at a time when maritime archaeology has established itself as a mature branch of archaeology. This volume draws on many of the distinct and universal aspects of maritime archaeology, bringing them together under four main themes: the research process, ships and shipwrecks, maritime and nautical culture, and issues of preservation and management.The first section of the book deals with the best practices for locating, documenting, excavating, and analyzing submerged sites. This methodological foundation is followed by a sample of shipwreck studies from around the world as scholars trace the regional development of ships and seafaring. Chosen to balance the traditional core regions of maritime archaeology with important but lesser-studied areas, it aims at offering an international account of the study of submerged sites. Reflecting the growing number of scholars who study past maritime cultures, but not shipwrecks, the third section of the book addresses various aspects of the maritime landscape and ethnography above and below the water. The final chapters then approach maritime archaeology in a broader context, moving beyond archaeological sites to discuss the archaeological record in general within legal, preservation, and management frameworks.Taken together, these individual and original articles provide a valuable resource that summarizes the current state of the field of maritime archaeology and offers insight into the future of this established and growing discipline.

I. INTRODUCTION: The Development of Maritime Archaeology, George F. BassII.THE PROCESS1. Defining a Ship: Architecture, Function, and Human Space, Patrice Pomey2. Wreck-Site Formation Processes, Colin Martin3. Acoustic Remote Sensing in Maritime Archaeology, Rory Quinn4. Archaeological Interpretation of Marine Magnetic Data, Robert Gearhart5. Search and Documentation of Underwater Archaeological Sites, Michael C. Tuttle6. Excavation Planning and Logistics: The HMS Swift Project, Chris Underwood7. Ship Reconstruction, Documentation, and In-Situ Recording, Yaacov Kahanov8. Ships on Land, James P. Delgado9. Deep-Submergence Archaeology, Shelley Wachsmann10. Recent Advances in Post-Excavation Documentation, Reconstruction and Experimental Maritime Archaeology, Morten Ravn, Vibeke Bischoff, Anton Englert and S?ren Nielsen11. Shipwreck Reconstruction Based on the Archaeological Record: Mediterranean Whole-Moulding and Kitten Wreck Case Study, Kroum N. Batchvarov12. Historical Naval Architecture Practices as a Guide to Shipwreck Reconstruction: The La Belle Example, Taras Pevny13. The Archaeological Role of Conservation in Maritime Archaeology, Donny L. Hamilton and C. Wayne Smith14. Virtual Reconstruction of Maritime Sites and Artifacts, Donald H. Sanders15. A Digital Library Perspective: The Synthesis and Storage of Maritime Archaeological Data to Assist in Ship Perspective, Carlos Monroy, Filipe Castro, and Richard FurutaIII. SHIPS & SHIPWRECKS16. Early Shipbuilding in the Eastern Mediterranean, Mark E. Polzer17. The Maritime Archaeology of Greek and Roman Seafaring (450 BCE - 400 CE), Deborah N. Carlson18. Mediterranean Ship Design in the Middle Ages, Eric Rieth19. Medieval Ships and Seafaring, Susan Rose20. Post-Medieval Ships and Seafaring in the West, Fred Hocker21. Southern African Shipwreck Archaeology, Bruno E.J.S. Werz22. The Red Sea, Lucy Blue23. Maritime Archaeological Studies in India, Aniruddh S. Gaur and Kamlesh H. Vora24. A Survey of East Asian Shipbuilding Traditions During the Era of Chinese Maritime Expansion, Randy Sasaki25. Australian Maritime Archaeology, Mark Staniforth26. Historic Period Ships of the Pacific Ocean, Hans K. Van Tilburg27. The Archaeology of Steamships, Kevin Crisman28. Caribbean Maritime Archaeology, Margaret Leshikar-Denton29. Maritime Archaeology of the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Archaeology from the Age of Exploration to the Twilight of Sail, Amy Borgens30. Shipwreck Archaeology in South America, Dolores Elkin31. Underwater Archaeology of the World Wars, Robert S. NeylandIV. MARITIME CULTURE & LIFE ASHORE32. The Maritime Cultural Landscape, Christer Westerdahl33. Coastal Archaeology, Ben Ford34. Submerged Prehistory in the North Sea, Antony Firth35. Ancient Harbors in the Mediterranean, John P. Oleson and Robert L. Hohlfelder36. Shipyard Archaeology, Jason D. Moser37. Ship Abandonment, Nathan Richards38. Maritime Communities and Traditions, Jesse RansleyV. BEYOND THE SITE39. Maritime History and Maritime Archaeology, Francisco C. Domingues40. Ethics, Underwater Cultural Heritage, and International Law, Thijs J. Maarleveld41. Management of Maritime Cultural Resources: An American Perspective, Timothy Runyan42. The Growth of Maritime Archaeology in Mexico: A Case Study, Pilar Luna Erreguerena43. Aviation Archaeology, Peter Fix44. Maritime Archaeology and Industry, Fredrik S?reide45. Museums and Maritime Archaeology, Michael McCarthy46. Maritime Archaeology, The Dive Community, and Heritage Tourism, Arthur B. Cohn and Joanne M. DennisVI. CONCLUSION Future Directions, Paula MartinVII. GLOSSARY & APPENDIX Illustrated Glossary of Ship and Boat Terms, J. Richard SteffyAPPENDIX: Scientific Analyses and Dating Techniques