Using Sector-Scan Sonar for the Survey and Management of Submerged Archaeological Sites

© 2017 The Authors. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology © 2017 The Nautical Archaeology Society. This article reports the results of using a sector-scan sonar to record diverse submerged archaeological sites in shallow and deep water. The Kongsberg MS1000 sector-scan sonar was developed for commercial applications, typically underwater inspections of bridges, dams, ports and harbours. The ability of the device to rapidly generate high-quality, geometrically accurate scans of submerged features, coupled with its ease of use and deployment make it a potentially important, yet largely overlooked, tool for survey and management of underwater archaeological sites. As one of several technologies available, the paper examines its advantages and limitations, and considers, through case studies, under which conditions it is most effectively deployed.