Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.9
2.0
Journals
Heritage
Special Issues
State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in...
share announcement

State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in the Era of Blue Economy and Incorporation into Maritime Spatial Planning

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408). This special issue belongs to the section "Underwater Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (21 March 2025) | Viewed by 9356

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Stella Sofia Kyvelou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economic and Regional Development, School of Science of Economics and Public Administration, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, 176 71 Athens, Greece
Interests: blue economy; spatial planning; marine/maritime spatial planning; maritime/underwater cultural heritage; sustainable development; marine and coastal management; resilience
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Underwater cultural heritage (UCH) refers to human-made structures and artifacts submerged underwater, including sunken cities, shipwrecks, and submerged ruins. UCH research is crucial for understanding humanity’s past, cultural heritage, and the evolution of maritime technology. This field focuses on UCH-related policies in the era of blue economy and on its incorporation into marine/maritime spatial planning endeavors worldwide. The focus of this Special Issue will also be on the diagnostics, conservation, and monitoring of UCH through advanced scientific techniques and technologies. Preserving cultural legacies, promoting sustainable tourism, and generating blue economic benefits while safeguarding the marine environment and preventing unauthorized looting and exploitation are key priorities. Harmonious co-existence with other maritime uses (e.g, tourism, nature conservation, offshore wind infrastructure, etc.) is also a key priority of this Special Issue.

The goal of this Special Issue is to collect papers (original research articles and review papers) to provide a comprehensive platform for showcasing cutting-edge research and advancements in the field of underwater cultural heritage. This Special Issue seeks to bring together contributions that highlight policies and strategies acknowledging UCH as a contributor to blue economy and as a distinct maritime use in maritime spatial plans from all over the world. Contributions focused on multi-use settings, including UCH in a harmonious co-existence with other traditional or emerging maritime uses, are also welcome. Moreover, this Special Issue invites papers which incorporate innovative diagnostic techniques, conservation methodologies, and monitoring approaches aimed at preserving and protecting underwater cultural sites. The aim of this Special Issue is to advance the understanding of underwater cultural heritage, promote sustainable conservation practices, and contribute to the broader body of knowledge in cultural heritage management and preservation.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • Policies and strategies acknowledging UCH as a contributor to blue economy;
  • Modes of incorporation of UCH as a distinct maritime use in maritime spatial plans;
  • Realized examples of harmonious co-existence of UCH with other marine uses and the assessment of the potential of UCH-driven multi-use;
  • Advanced diagnostic techniques for the identification and documentation of underwater cultural heritage sites;
  • Innovative conservation methodologies and strategies for preserving and protecting underwater cultural heritage;
  • Valuation methods of underwater cultural heritage;
  • Sustainable management practices for the long-term preservation of underwater cultural heritage sites.

Prof. Dr. Stella Sofia Kyvelou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • underwater cultural heritage
  • accessible underwater cultural sites (AUCSs)
  • sunken cities
  • shipwrecks
  • UCH and sustainable tourism
  • Underwater natural and cultural heritage
  • coastal/marine cultural ecosystem services
  • diagnostic techniques
  • conservation and monitoring
  • coastal heritage
  • underwater cultural landscapes
  • UCH and climate change
  • valuation methods of UCH

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

27 pages, 5936 KiB  
Article
Strategic Participatory Planning and Social Management for Clustering Maritime Cultural Heritage: A Case Study of the West Pagasetic Gulf, Greece
by Anastasia-Aspasia Gospodini, Anna-Roskagia Vouza, Dimitris Kalergis and Stella Sofia Kyvelou
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020048 - 26 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1449
Abstract
Maritime cultural heritage (MCH) in Greece remains poorly explored and underutilized due to several key challenges, including the dispersed locations of heritage sites, limited community engagement in decision-making, and the absence of a well-structured decentralized governance framework. This paper addresses these issues by [...] Read more.
Maritime cultural heritage (MCH) in Greece remains poorly explored and underutilized due to several key challenges, including the dispersed locations of heritage sites, limited community engagement in decision-making, and the absence of a well-structured decentralized governance framework. This paper addresses these issues by focusing on strategic planning and social management to better integrate coastal and maritime heritage sites into both tourism development and the everyday life of local communities. Our research examines the creation of local social networks and participatory decision-making processes, as well as the adoption of innovative solutions such as maritime spatial planning (MSP) and soft projects to connect scattered cultural sites into cohesive, integrated clusters. The aim is to foster tourism and economic development through collaboration with local stakeholders. The findings emphasize the establishment of a social network for cultural heritage management in the West Pagasetic region of Magnesia, Greece, which culminated in a strategic plan to link cultural sites through soft projects and consultations. This process included a participatory workshop and the creation of a Community of Practice (CoP) that brought together professionals from the heritage, tourism, and planning sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in the Era of Blue Economy and Incorporation into Maritime Spatial Planning)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 8463 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Changing the Beam of an Ancient Ship’s Hull on Its Capacity, Stability, and Performance
by Smiljko Rudan, Irena Radić Rossi, Grgo Jerat, Albert Zamarin, Šimun Sviličić and Alice Lucchini
Heritage 2024, 7(12), 6712-6728; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7120310 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 981
Abstract
Wooden ships on the shipwreck sites are usually only partially preserved, and reconstructing the original hull lines requires considerable effort. The shape of the hull has a direct effect on the ship’s capacity to carry cargo, as well as on its speed and [...] Read more.
Wooden ships on the shipwreck sites are usually only partially preserved, and reconstructing the original hull lines requires considerable effort. The shape of the hull has a direct effect on the ship’s capacity to carry cargo, as well as on its speed and stability. When reconstructing the hull lines, the incomplete nature of the archaeological remains results in the interpretation of the available data. The outcome, therefore, depends on the assumptions and decisions associated with the reconstruction process. This paper examines how the variation in a single parameter, namely, the beam, affects the performance of the vessel. Considering the availability of the model, the Kyrenia ship from the fourth/third century BC is used as a case study. The scope of this paper is to demonstrate and quantify the effect of beam variation on ancient ship performance, namely, the ship cargo capacity, stability, and resistance. Kyrenia ship was used as a study case based on hull lines proposed by Steffy in 1985. The aim is not to modify Steffy’s original reconstruction but to demonstrate that small deviations could significantly affect the performance of the vessel. In addition, an increase in the height of the ship’s sides is proposed as a possible solution to increase the load capacity of the ship. The opportunity to explore a whole set of trials and reconstructive variations with naval engineering software can deepen our understanding of ship performance, allowing us to improve our approach to reconstruction, too. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in the Era of Blue Economy and Incorporation into Maritime Spatial Planning)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2212 KiB  
Article
“Scouring for Prehistory”—An Opportunistic Methodology for Sea Floor Archaeology
by Ervan G. Garrison, Emily Carter Jones, Michael Robinson, Yasmine I. Rivera, Kelsey A. Williams, Benjamin Prueitt, Anderson L. Carter, Matthew A. Newton and C. Andrew Hemmings
Heritage 2024, 7(7), 3417-3428; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7070161 - 26 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1409
Abstract
Finding prehistoric sites, on the sea floor off the United States, has proven to be a difficult task. Over four decades of innovative attempts have produced few discoveries. This discussion outlines the difficulties in finding submerged prehistory on the sea floor, examines current [...] Read more.
Finding prehistoric sites, on the sea floor off the United States, has proven to be a difficult task. Over four decades of innovative attempts have produced few discoveries. This discussion outlines the difficulties in finding submerged prehistory on the sea floor, examines current methodology(ies), and presents a new methodology that demonstrates promise based on research conducted over the past decade. The purpose of this discussion is to outline the problems facing archaeologists searching the sea floor for archaeological sites. It is less of a critique of past efforts and methodologies used in those attempts. Without those efforts, a reason for developing a different methodological approach would be unnecessary. Any “one size fits all” methodology is limiting, and the scant number of marine archaeological sites located off the shores of the United States can attest to the need for practitioners to continue refining their methods. This is especially the case on the continental shelf of the eastern United States, where sediment cover is often meters, or several meters, thick. This opportunistic methodology developed on the continental shelf of the Georgia Bight, western Atlantic Ocean, has located intact paleo-landforms with in situ, palaeoecological remains thereby offering promise for future archaeological discoveries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in the Era of Blue Economy and Incorporation into Maritime Spatial Planning)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

40 pages, 7053 KiB  
Review
Mapping and Assessing Cultural Ecosystem Services to Inform Maritime Spatial Planning: A Systematic Review
by Marina Banela, Stella Sofia Kyvelou and Dimitra Kitsiou
Heritage 2024, 7(2), 697-736; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7020035 - 4 Feb 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4241
Abstract
Socio-cultural dimensions and values in maritime spatial planning (MSP) are gaining momentum worldwide and especially in the European Union (EU), since it is acknowledged that they are the “missing layer” of maritime spatial plans (MSPlans). These values are partly explored through cultural ecosystem [...] Read more.
Socio-cultural dimensions and values in maritime spatial planning (MSP) are gaining momentum worldwide and especially in the European Union (EU), since it is acknowledged that they are the “missing layer” of maritime spatial plans (MSPlans). These values are partly explored through cultural ecosystem services (CES). Coastal and marine CES refer to the benefits that humans derive from the coastal and marine environments in recreational, artistic, spiritual, and educational terms. They reflect the ways in which coastal and marine ecosystems contribute to human well-being, cultural identity, and interactions with nature. The research question is how to map and assess coastal/marine ecosystem services and to integrate them in the MSPlans. Thus, this systematic review sheds light on methodological and technical issues with CES mapping and assessment and provides guidance on how to incorporate CES in MSP for future research. Publications dealing with the spatial aspects of CES were examined with an extra focus on participatory mapping approaches. Initially, 199 articles were identified, and 50 articles were ultimately eligible for the analysis. Papers were concentrated in the European Atlantic, whilst their scope was either local or regional. A large number of articles consider the contribution of CES to efficient marine management rather than to achieving an integrated and coordinated MSP. Social and mixed mapping approaches were met with the most often, especially participatory mapping approaches. Also, non-monetary valuation was prevailing, and a multitude of techniques, tools, and statistical software were used. In most of the cases, the distribution of values in relation to environmental, socio-economic, and demographic factors was examined. This article concludes that an effective integration of CES into MSP is crucial for creating prospects of a more sustainable and inclusive approach to coastal/marine planning and for the well-being of ecosystems and communities both currently and for future generations. This knowledge should become “property” of the maritime spatial planners. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art in Underwater Cultural Heritage: Policies in the Era of Blue Economy and Incorporation into Maritime Spatial Planning)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop