Modelling the Maritime Cultural Landscape of the Costiera Amalfitana: The First Three Seasons of Research (2016–2018)

A surprising dearth of pre-modern maritime cultural heritage was uncovered during the first three seasons (2016–2018) of a multi-disciplinary project modeling the maritime landscape of Italy’s UNESCO-listed Costiera Amalfitana. Despite extensive archival, museum documentation, and geomorphological research, few underwater artifacts from this period were found, suggesting either limited preservation or different patterns of human activity than previously assumed. The study’s approach combined fieldwork with historical analysis to map tangible and intangible elements of the region’s maritime heritage, though its preliminary findings raise new questions about the area’s underwater archaeology—particularly in the Marine Protected Area west of Positano—where further research is needed.

Harpster, M., Trakadas, A., Denel, E., Capriglione, V., Lucarini, C., Meranda, M., Morselli, M., Pelling, R., Bennett, I., Zazzaro, C., Demirci, Ö., Donadio, C., Ferranti, L., Stanislao, C., Zavagno, L., & Pecci, P. (2021). Modelling the Maritime Cultural Landscape of the Costiera Amalfitana: The First Three Seasons of Research (2016–2018). International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 50(1), 63–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572414.2021.1947117