Ulster Centre for Maritime Archaeology

The Centre was formed in 1999 and is jointly funded by the University of Ulster and the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. The CMA is housed in the interdisciplinary Centre for Coastal and Marine Research, covering aspects of coastal and marine research including quaternary environmental change, coastal processes, coastal management and habitat mapping.

Research at the CMA is structured under the broad theme of maritime cultural landscapes, extending from riverine and lacustrine environments to the open ocean, with a primary emphasis on coastal and nearshore archaeology. Since inception, we have been active in developing discrete areas of coastal archaeology, historical archaeology and marine geoarchaeology in the UK, Ireland and Africa. We enjoy close collaboration with cognate ESRI Research Groups and with archaeology and earth science departments in Ireland, UK, Canada, Africa, Australia and Denmark. Overseas activities includes fieldwork in the UK, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Australia and the The Faroes.

We promote close linkage of research and teaching, through the MSc in Maritime Archaeology, in collaboration with Flinders University (Australia).