Black Sea Map project
| Location | Client | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Black Sea | University of Southampton | 2017 |
One year ago, the same project generated fabulous pictures from Stril Explorer. The offshore survey work is performed by the Surveyor Interceptor with experienced personnel from MMT Sweden and Reach Subsea. Reach Subsea is proud to be part of this voyage.
Today’s press release from EEF Expeditions Limited:
EEF Expeditions Limited launches its third and final cruise as part of the groundbreaking Black Sea MAP project.
Since 2015 Black Sea MAP, one of the largest maritime archaeological projects ever staged, has been investigating the changes in the ancient environment of the Black Sea region including the impact of sea level change during the last glacial cycle. Isolated from the world’s oceans, as global sea levels fell during the glacial maximum, the Black Sea was then reconnected as the earth warmed and sea levels rose.
How low did the Black Sea waters really fall? How fast did they rise following the reconnection and what effects did these processes have on human settlements along the shoreline at that time.
On 25th August 2017 the team of world renowned marine and maritime scientists will be setting sail from the Bulgarian port of Burgas for the final phase of the project aboard the R/V Havila Subsea, one of Havila Shipping ASA’s fleet, with MMT/Reach providing specialist marine surveying capability and world record breaking technology being used to investigate the depths of the Black Sea.
The Black Sea MAP team is under the leadership of the University of Southampton and Professor Jon Adams, Professor Lyudmil Vagalinsky of the National Institute of Archaeology with Museum of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Dr. Kalin Dimitrov of the Center of Underwater Archaeology in Sozopol, Bulgaria.
Working in partnership, the team from the UK, Bulgaria, the University of Connecticut in the US, Sweden, Norway, Greece and Ukraine has collected unprecedented amounts of data using cutting edge technology, allowing it to significantly further the understanding of this crucial part of the world in the development of humankind. This third cruise will allow the team to further their conclusions from previous findings and draw together their deductions which will be revealed in 2018.
Also onboard will be a group of young people taking part in the education element of Black Sea MAP, which is designed to promote STEM subjects and careers to students who might not be aware of the opportunities they provide. Run by Catalyst Learning and Education, the programme integrates with the science team and the crew of Havila Subsea, as well as the teams operating the Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV).
As a crucial part of the project, EEFE has commissioned Black Sea Films to make a film about the journey and endeavours of the team, allowing the opportunity to engage with a wide audience the excitement and discoveries of this unique project. Key to their work is the use of a specialist remote deep-water camera system, capable of supplying ultra-high definition imagery from more than 2 kilometres depth.
Following 25 days at sea, the Havila Subsea will be returning to port in Burgas where the Board of Directors of EEFE Limited and the members of the science team will be hosting an Open Day on September 19th 2017 to discuss their findings from their last season in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea MAP project was conceived by Hans K Rausing who established the Expedition and Education Foundation to commission the project. The Foundation’s work is funded by The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, a charitable fund, reflecting their interest in improving our understanding of the origins of humanity and human civilization.
Ahead of the cruise, Professor Jon Adams, Black Sea MAP’s principal investigator said: “This phase of the project will complete our data acquisition using state-of-the-art systems undreamt of only a few years ago. Unprecedented in quality as well as quantity, these data open a window of unparalleled clarity on the ancient past, helping us to better understand the changing environment of the Black Sea and the peoples who lived there in prehistory and later historical periods.”
Dr Kalin Dimitrov, Director of the Centre of Underwater Archaeology in Sozopol commented: ‘The Black Sea MAP project is of utmost importance not only for the Black Sea region. Data on the dynamics of the Black Sea level is a key to understanding the process of settling of Europe by the first farmers over 10,000 years ago. Where did these people come from? What route have they gone through? Is Europe a continent of migrants or we can look for our roots here long before the Ice Age?”
For further information please contact:
Alex Rayner on UK and Worldwide Media
+44 (0)7789 007 232
alex@chasecommunications.co.uk
Vesselin Dimitrov for Bulgarian Media
vesselin.dimitro@gmail.com
About The Black Sea MAP (Maritime Archaeological Project)
The Black Sea MAP (Maritime Archaeological Project) seeks further understanding of the origins of the Black Sea boundaries and how sea level change impacted early man. The three strands of the projects are the scientific exploration, promoting STEM subjects and careers, and filming a documentary about the expedition to reach as wide an audience as possible.
The scientific element of the project is led by some of the world’s preeminent marine archaeologists and maritime scientists from the UK, Bulgaria, Sweden, the US and Greece. Using a combination of marine-geophysics, sediment core sampling, and underwater exploration by manned and unmanned vessels, the expedition hopes to uncover the speed at which the sea level in the Black Sea rose at the end of the last glacial maximum.
The expedition’s STEM Scholar programme recruited 16 less advantaged students in 2016 and 2017 from schools in the UK to take part in educational programmes both on and offshore. The expedition is being filmed by the award winning documentary team of Black Sea Films.
Copyright (photos): Black Sea MAP