Noted maritime archaeologist Dr. Lucy Blue stated that the Gulf has a wealth of maritime history and archaeology to offer, yet the region has yet to realize its potential with regard to its maritime cultural heritage, during her lecture at the AUS College of Architecture, Art and Design on October 26.

During the lecture, entitled "The Potential for the Gulf," Dr. Blue outlined the breadth and scope of maritime archaeology from shipwrecks to submerged landscapes and emphasized the value that an appreciation of underwater and coastal cultural heritage can offer to a maritime nation.

Some of the earliest direct evidence of trade comes from the Gulf region, but to date, very little work has been conducted in the UAE, and the knowledge about the maritime history here is limited compared to other parts of the word," said Dr. Blue. "To date we haven't found the Mary Rose of the Gulf," referring to the famed sunken Tudor warship found in the straits north of the Isle of Wight.

Dr. Blue is a senior lecturer in maritime archaeology at the University of Southampton, where she is also director of the Centre for Maritime Archaeology. Her research is largely focused around the eastern Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the Gulf regions where she specializes in harbor archaeology, maritime ethnography and maritime trade, particularly through the lens of shipwreck archaeology and coastal landscapes.

More recently, Dr. Blue has been engaged with developing capacity for maritime archaeology and coastal heritage in the region. She helped establish the Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage at the University of Alexandria, Egypt, and she currently directs the Maritime Archaeology Stewardship Trust, (MAST) which aims to promote maritime archaeology in the Arab world.