h e  Centre for Underwater Archaeology has been at the forefront of Ukrainian underwater archaeology for over 15 years. It was born in 1990 and since has been serving as an Ukrainian educational body on issues relating to underwater archaeology and submerged cultural resources exploration. It is working to educate students, avocationals, sport divers, and the general public about underwater archaeology and the preservation of underwater resources. The CUA’s specialists assist the Department of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in organizing Conferences on Historical and Underwater Archaeology and produce special thematic issues on underwater archaeology. The Centre cooperatively with Department developed a first manual on underwater archaeology in Ukrainian language.

In 1991 the Centre began studying Crimean’s shipwrecks in order to identify types and locations of reported underwater archaeological resources. Over ten shipwrecks were identified in Crimea waters. This initial inventory was used to assess the potential for underwater archaeological resources in given areas to aid in planning archaeological field survey.

Since 1991 the CUA has surveyed, mapped, and documented more than five underwater archaeological sites. These sites have ranged from submerged port and harbors to medieval commercial ships. Scientific reports and papers, popular articles and essays are published by CUA in various archaeological editions. Reports on excavations and materials are usually stored in the archive of the Ukrainian Institute of Archaeology. 

Archaeology helps us understand our past. Knowledge of the people who live in Ukraine today, and those who lived here in the past, adds missing information to complete the puzzle of human history.