In 1865, the California Gold Rush-era paddle steamer, Brother Jonathan, was lost offshore Crescent City, California, claiming the lives of over 200 passengers and crew. The vessel was located in 1993 by salvors seeking gold and other artifacts, with a legal dispute ending in favor of the salvors. Though the shipwreck is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, documentation by archaeologists has been limited to reviews of salvors’ videos during recovery operations and observer reports. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) identified a need for information on the shipwreck and an assessment of the condition prior to offshore energy development. This paper will present on the 2025 archaeological survey using a remotely operated vehicle through a partnership involving Cardinal Point Captains, Marine Imaging Technologies, Sonoma Coast Historic and Undersea Nautical Research Society, CA Office of Historic Preservation, CA State Lands Commission, and BOEM.

In the last few years, members of the Society for California Archaeology’s Maritime Heritage Committee initiated the development of a guidance document for identifying and documenting submerged cultural resources in California waters. Drawing on regulatory frameworks, agency expectations, and professional expertise, the document outlines recommended practices for prefield research, remote sensing, diver survey, GIS deliverables, safety, and tribal engagement. While not regulatory, the guidance is intended to support consistent treatment of underwater resources under NHPA and CEQA, particularly where existing standards are lacking. This paper summarizes the motivation for the effort, collaborative process, and key content areas, with attention to how the document may inform future agency policy or regional practice. The guidance reflects increasing awareness of submerged cultural landscapes in both coastal and inland settings and aims to serve archaeologists working in compliance, research, and resource management contexts.

This study presents a GIS-based geomorphological reconstruction of the Porkkala Peninsula in southern Finland, aimed at identifying potential medieval harbor sites in a landscape shaped by glacial and post-glacial processes. Using high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and bathymetric data, the project modeled historical shoreline positions by integrating sea-level change with isostatic rebound rates. Raster classification and slope analysis were applied to detect probable landing zones, drag routes, and sheltered inlets, with particular focus on Träskön Island and the Porkkala medieval harbour site that has yet to be located. The geomorphological modeling serves as a foundation for predictive archaeological survey, narrowing the search for submerged or eroded maritime cultural features that will be conducted in the late summer and early Fall of 2025. This methodological approach demonstrates the utility of landscape modeling in data-poor regions and contributes to the development of coastal site selection strategies in the Baltic region and beyond.

Despite only being the 58^th largest economic exclusive zone in the world, the waters off Ireland are home to an inordinate number of shipwrecks. To date, 17,892 wrecking events have been reported and while these vestiges of the past constitute an important category of underwater cultural heritage, many also represent an ecological threat in the form of potential pollution. This is particularly true of vessels associated with both World Wars. After decades of submergence, oil, munitions, and other chemical leakages from shipwrecks threaten Ireland’s marine and coastal resources. The I-PoINt project aims to conduct the first ever risk assessment of Irish shipwrecks using archival data, archaeological observations, and computational modelling. Additionally, this multiyear effort takes on an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating the latest in seafloor mapping technologies and sediment analysis. Shipwrecks will be ranked based on their potential to pollute and the anticipated impact on the environment.

Over the past decade, we have witnessed a growing trend of digitally scanning archaeological sites and cultural heritage. These 3D models are often used to generate orthomosaics and site plans, while others are utilized in museum exhibitions. However, the true potential emerges when the latest VR/gaming technologies intersect with archaeology. VR and AR devices are enjoyed by a much broader audience than traditional academia. By leveraging these platforms, scanned 3D archival data can now be uploaded and made accessible to the general public, allowing users to virtually visit and explore archaeological sites from anywhere.

This paper discusses the potential of these technologies to enhance the use and dissemination of scanned 3D data. Furthermore, it explores the possibility of creating NFTs from these digital archives as a sustainable means of funding the preservation and management of the actual sites.

Photogrammetry has revolutionized underwater archaeology by providing an efficient and cost-effective means of recording and analyzing submerged cultural heritage. Despite its advantages, many three-dimensional models (3D) remain inaccessible, often stored on personal devices or hosted on platforms that limit interactivity. Virtual reality (VR) offers a solution by enhancing public engagement while enabling research collaboration. This project uses Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) to develop a VR museum that showcases 3D models of shipwrecks and artifacts in an interactive environment. UE5’s rendering capabilities allow for the display of intricate details while its cost-effective design makes it an ideal tool for digital heritage preservation. The VR museum features multiple realistic environments created for specific sites with annotations that offer users a dynamic way to explore cultural heritage. At just 2.2 gigabytes, this project demonstrates that cultural heritage experiences can be both accessible and compact, making it one of the world’s smallest museums.

Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations, the Ocean Decade 2021-2030 aims to deliver science-based solutions and support the creation of “the science we need for the ocean we want”

This paper will discuss how to maximise data from discrete investigations into a globally situated research frameworks and present the shifting lifecycle of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), from unknown anomalies identified only on geophysical data through recovery, recording and digital recreation while acknowledging threats from climate change and other hazards.

It is widely accepted that UCH holds unrealised potential for cross-disciplinary ocean science research and public engagement to contribute to the Ocean Decade challenges as discussed further within the SoMUCH project, bringing together multi-regional organisations to share resources and results.

We must therefore ask ourselves how best to adopt an integrated approach towards understanding impacts and apply mitigation measures to contribute to the 'ocean knowledge' that we want.