Capacity in Maritime Archaeology: A Framework for Analysis

Abstract

Capacity development is a key tool that can be used to improve maritime archaeological research and underwater cultural heritage protection. Despite numerous capacity development initiatives there has been little written about the theoretical concept of capacity or capacity development in maritime archaeology or even archaeology more generally. This paper borrows a theoretical concept of capacity from the environmental sciences literature and demonstrates how it can be applied to maritime archaeology through the examination of the situation in three case study States: Croatia, Italy and Montenegro. It argues that all aspects of the concept of capacity need to be understood before successful capacity development initiatives can be planned, and that the development of strategies for capacity development could initiate long term positive changes in maritime archaeological capabilities.