# The Usage of Virtual and Augmented Reality in Underwater Archeology
## 5 Use of Augmented and Virtual Reality in Underwater Archeology--Example Solutions
### iMARECULTURE Project  
The iMARECULTURE project (\"Advanced VR, iMmersive serious games and Augmented REality as tools to raise awareness and access to European underwater CULTUREal heritage\") received funding from the EU Horizon 2020 research program. It was implemented in 2016-2020. The consortium included 11 organizations from the Czech Republic, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, and Hungary, [[https://imareculture.eu/](https://imareculture.eu/)]([https://imareculture.eu/](https://imareculture.eu/)) (accessed on 1 August 2024) [122; 121]. Figure 6: Visualizations from the virtual experience (selected shots from the promotion materials): (a) a view of the photogrammetric reconstruction of the wreck—the first from the second part of the animation; (b) a hypothetical reconstruction of the wreck—a shot from the second part of the animation. Based on [120]. The project aimed to raise European identity by increasing society's interaction with marine and underwater cultural heritage in the Mediterranean [37]. As part of the project, two multimedia applications in the form of games were created. The first of them uses geospatial technologies enabling the development of a game about sailing in the Mediterranean in ancient times [123]. The second one is related to the exploration of underwater archaeological sites [37]. In addition to elements closely related to archaeological sites, the game also educates on the research methods used in underwater work [86]. The project included three archaeological sites. The first of them is the wreck of the Phoenician ship Xlendi, which dates back to the 7 th century BC. It lies at a depth of 110 m. It sank off the coast of Gozo, Malta [37; 122]. In this case, due to the significant depth of the wreck, the application creators used an underwater vehicle equipped with reflectors as a virtual exploration tool. Additionally, the application included information about the wreck, its discovery and underwater work, including interviews with experts in this field [37]. The second archaeological site is the villa with a vestibule (\"Villa con ingresso a protiro\"), dating back to the first half of the 19 th century. The site itself dates back to the 2 nd century AD, and is part of the ruins of the Roman city of Baiae, located near Naples, Italy [124; 125; 126]. The current archaeological site was a vacation spot in the past, appreciated by the Roman aristocracy. As a result of volcanic activity (lectronic movements), a significant part of the settlement was below sea level around the 4 th/5 th century AD [124; 126]. In the case of this archaeological site, the virtual application allows users to interact with the current state of the ruins of the sunken city and its hypothetical 3D reconstruction. Additionally, the application introduces a narrative that deepens the historical and archaeological understanding and provides additional knowledge about sunken artifacts--Figure 7 [124; 125]. Moreover, in the case of this archaeological site, an AR system analogous to the systems used in the VISAS project was prepared [125]. An application on a tablet adapted for underwater use allows divers to explore selected underwater routes and obtain additional information about the found artifacts [122; 125; 125]. The third archaeological site is the Mazotos shipw in Cyprus, or rather its outline, which was recorded in the cargo being transported. The archaeological site is located 44 m underwater, 14 nautical miles southwest of Larnaca, 1.5 miles from the shore [31]. It consists of a cluster of amphore measuring 17.5 \(\times\) 8 m, located on a sandy, almost flat area of the seabed. It has the form of a ship and contains 500-800 Chian amphore, partially or fully visible, dating to the mid-4 th century BC [31; 127]. This position is inaccessible to most people due to its depth and conservation considerations.