Ziad Morsy

Ziad is a maritime archaeologist and heritage enthusiast with a particular interest in ethnography and 3D documentation. Currently, he is a visiting lecturer at the Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage at Alexandria University, Egypt. He is also an Honor Frost Scholar and PhD candidate at Southampton University, UK - with a focus on studying traditional Egyptian sail boats through ethnography.

Ziad, alongside Mai Ghanem (@MaiGhanemMT), leads the Diving into The Past project - a public engagement project which aims to increase public awareness about Egyptian Maritime Archaeology and the use of 3D technologies in recording underwater cultural heritage.

You can find out more about Ziad and follow his work below:

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Diving into The Past

Ethnoarchaeology

Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage, Alexandria University

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1. What inspired you to be involved in your area of expertise?

I was inspired by two leaders of Maritime Archaeology in the region, Dr. Lucy Blue and Prof. Emad Khalil, both were instrumental for my development and success in the field. Since I was an undergrad, I was fortunate enough to meet them both, and then they both were my supervisors for the MA thesis in Maritime Archaeology at Alexandria University.

2. What do you like most about your field?

Fieldwork is one of the greatest things ever, I also like it when I find out some new information about maritime archaeology. Archaeology is just like a puzzle, that we keep on trying to solve with clues we extract from our fieldwork. Fieldwork can be in the library, in the archive, ethnographic interview, or archaeological excavations... I like to think of myself as a researcher in Maritime Archaeology, my passion is to research the past!

3. How did you get involved in your field of study/research?

It was back in 2008 when Prof. Emad Khalil first started to build the Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage at Alexandria University. I volunteered to help in setting up and archiving the centre's special library. I was an undergrad back then, and I used to stay in the library for hours every week, archiving and building up the database. That gave me the opportunity to read some books about Maritime Archaeology. Upon my graduation in 2009, I started my studies for MA in Maritime Archaeology at the centre, and later I was offered a job there. And since then, I became a researcher of Maritime Archaeology. I was lucky enough to be involved in a number of underwater and Maritime project in Egypt, Lebanon, Montenegro and Italy.

4. What book, website, or other resource would you recommend to new students of H/AH/ARCH?

As for books, I would recommend Archaeology Underwater by George Bass, and Maritime Archaeology by Keith Muckelroy. Both have shaped my thinking about the field during the past decade. As for websites, I think the project of MaritimeArchaeology.com by my dear friend Dr. Peter Campbell is one of the best resources about the field.

5. What book, website, or other resource do you think is possibly the best you have ever found?

The best website I have found so far is the Nautical Archaeology Digital Library NADL. 

6. Can you mention one or two emerging themes you have observed in H/AH/ARCH?

During the past decade that I was involved in the field, I saw few themes that were emerged, namely the 3D documentation and visualisation of underwater cultural heritage. When I started working in the field back in 2009, the technology was not capable of producing such accurate and high-quality models of underwater cultural sites like we have today. Now photogrammetry and 3D recording is standard practice in any Maritime Archaeological mission.

Another theme that is currently emerging in the field which also related to 3D, is outreach and public engagement with maritime archaeology. Now with the use of technology, the public can dive on famous sites that they only heard of, and they can even touch replicas of artifacts that were scanned and 3D printed in front of them.

7. What advice would you give someone starting out in H/AH/ARCH?

Gaining experience is the key and making good connections with pioneers in the field. Another piece of advice that will really help is trying to present and attend international conferences in the field, such as the ISBSA and IKWUA...etc attending these events not only give you better and up-to-date information on the latest discoveries/project in the field, but also it will help you engage with your peers and possible future mentors.

8. If you could meet any historical figure who would it be and why?

I would love to meet the first ever Maritime Archaeologist, Keith Muckelroy. I am sure I would've learned a lot from him, more than what I've already learned from his publications.

9. Which era or time period would you like to visit?

I would like to visit 19th century Egypt, and actually, I always fantasize about being a Dragoman for tourists in the early days of exploration of the Nile and its heritage.

10. Do you have a favourite historical quote, if so what is it?

 "It’s not what you find, its what you find out."

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