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Adventures in undersea archaeology

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Treasure hunters and historians race to the bottom of the sea as technological advances open up new possibilities for undersea archaeology.


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With an estimated three million undiscovered shipwrecks spread across the oceans, the journey of discovery has only just begun. Fueled by new technologies, and the growth of sport diving, underwater archaeology is now booming.

Award-winning archaeologist and broadcaster Win Scutt explores the archaeological wealth at the bottom of the sea, starting at Acre, on the Northern Coast of Israel.

Acre is a relatively small town by today's standards, but for most of its history, it was one of the most important cities of the region. Because of the strategic position of its harbor, it was considered to be the gateway to the East. Just about everyone tried to conquer it. The Crusaders, the Ottomans, and even the French Emperor Napoleon himself. And because of such tumultuous history, its harbor is today littered with shipwrecks.

Using special recording equipment, Win takes the listener underwater as he dives with a team of archaeologists excavating a shipwreck. As the mission progresses, he finds out what makes underwater archaeology unique, often challenging and sometimes very dangerous.

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