Sirine Saad ElDIne Ghiye – 2019-2020 – AUB Scholar
To be an archeologist is a precious job and responsibility. My interest in maritime archeology began when I was involved in the Enfeh North Lebanon missions on land, where I met the maritime archeological team funded by HFF, with their passion in diving and exploring the seabed of Enfeh.
Maritime archeology is an important field to take care of, because it helps and proves questions and interpretations related to trade, heritage, anthropology, maritime society and human thought.The scholarship funded by the HFF to study a Minor at AUB in marine science and cultural heritage is an important step to start my career in maritime archaeology.
This chance opened up new horizons for my post graduate studies because the minor program was huge and contains the basic introduction and concepts of all maritime topics and subjects related to maritime archeology. In addition, the courses were diverse and motivated me to explore deeper and more wide ideas not only maritime archeology but the marine science in general, with all its components from legislation, marine management and building capacity. Through the MSCU program I learned new technique and skills that serve and help archeologists to study and analyse archeological sites, such as marine remote sensing, QGIS, photogrammetry and different types of maritime field work.
This is why I took my decision to continue my master degree in Remote sensing and QGIS. This technique provides an analysis, and facilitation for studying maritime sites. I participated in two online projects: Welsh Wreck Web Research Project with MADU, and ISCA project where I joined in presenting the ISCA Collection, The World’s Largest Collection of Traditional and Vernacular Boats during the NAS virtual conference in Nov. 2020. I attended many online conferences and series of sessions by; the NAS, Mare Hamburg, and workshops; the last one was the underwater cultural heritage for Africa directed by UNESCO in June-July for 6 days as an observer. Because of the minor program which reinforced information in marine science, I became interested in following up more conferences and sessions where I have the ability to ask my personal questions, and participating in discussion during sessions.
This minor helps student to be more aware of maritime archeology even if they are not an archeologist, and this is the main objective of the Honor Frost Foundation in building capacity and raising awareness of maritime heritage in Lebanon and the threats faced by our maritime cultural heritage. Through field schools and missions, the Foundation motivates a new generation of maritime archeologists, and improves skills in diving for students. This is why, my final assignment was about “Threats and Disturbances on the Lebanese Coast”, this topic which I learned during the MSCU program, it is important and complicated and includes other disciplines such as legislation and management.
The scholarship in marine science and cultural heritage funded by HFF has changed my life and puts me in a stong position to begin my career in maritime archeology.
