Aruba advances maritime archaeology through sonar mapping and international partnerships

Aruba is seeing increased public interest in underwater archaeology, supported by over 20 years of dedication to preserving the island's underwater cultural heritage. The National Archaeological Museum Aruba (MANA) has played a central role in this effort through research led by archaeologist Raymundo Dijkhoff.

Dijkhoff’s research and inventory of underwater reserves have facilitated various national and international collaborations. A notable recent partnership exists between MANA and the international philanthropic company Inkfish LLC, which is currently utilizing multibeam sonar technology to map the seabed within Aruban territorial waters.

These efforts build upon a foundation of desk-based research conducted in 2021 and long-standing cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. In 2021, the Dutch Caribbean Maritime Heritage Workgroup was established to focus on awareness, capacity building, and networking following requests from the CAS islands to ratify the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.