50 years of underwater archaeology at Parks Canada

Underwater archaeology is a science used to understand human societies and behaviors by studying remains and artefacts found in the water, such as shipwrecks or now submerged habitats.

The sea, the rivers and the lakes have played a crucial role in the history of Canada, and it is not surprising that its waters offer a multitude of archaeological sites, often in ideal state of preservation.

This section presents a selection of fifty some photographs that will guide you through the history of Canada as seen by Parks Canada’s underwater archaeologists over the past 50 years. These images offer a glimpse at the richness of our underwater heritage and will take you from one end of the country to the other to explore submerged archaeological sites usually not accessible to the general public.