ORIGINAL PAPER Maritime Archaeology and Maritime Heritage Protection in the Disputed Territory of Northern Cyprus Matthew Harpster Published online: 9 May 2008 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008 Abstract Between 1967 and 1974, the island of Cyprus was a centre of maritime archaeology in the eastern Mediterranean. Individuals such as Michael and Susan Katzev, George Bass, Jeremy Green and Richard Steffy were living on and visiting the island, and testing and developing methods still common in the discipline. The hostilities on Cyprus in the summer of 1974 and the implementation of international regulations limiting archae- ological work in the northern portion of the island, however, had repercussions still evident today. This article summarizes past maritime archaeological work along the northern coastline, addresses the regulations limiting archaeological activity in the region and discusses a new training program licensed by the Nautical Archaeology Society aiding in the protection of the island’s maritime heritage representing approximately 10,000 years of activity. Keywords Maritime heritage Á Cyprus Á UNESCO Á Protection of cultural heritage Á History of maritime archaeology Introduction For scholars conducting research in Turkey or Greece in 1974, the hostilities that occurred on Cyprus in July and August that year forced many to mingle international politics and archaeology and make decisions that would have personal and professional repercussions for years to follow. Regarding maritime archaeology, a discipline in its infancy in 1974, the effects of that military activity and those decisions are still evident today in northern Cyprus. This article summarizes past maritime archaeological work along the northern coastline, addresses current regulations limiting archaeological activity in the region and discusses a new program aiding in the protection and preservation of the island’s heritage representing approximately 10,000 years of maritime activity. M. Harpster (&) Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Mersin-10, Turkey e-mail: matthew.harpster@emu.edu.tr 123 J Mari Arch (2008) 3:3–13 DOI 10.1007/s11457-008-9026-x