The expedition to the Black Sea is building upon previous years' surveys in which well-preserved ancient shipwrecks were located and documented. One of these wrecks was found near Turkey within the anoxic layer of the sea, which is depleted in oxygen due to layering, or stratification, of the water column. This stratification occurs because the shallow outflow channel at the Bosporus Strait, the connection between the Black and Aegean Seas, does not allow for the deeper, denser water to exit. Low circulation creates the anoxic condition deeper than 150 meters, creating a hostile environment for marine organisms. Organisms that eat wood and other organic material do not have enough oxygen to survive in the anoxic water; the deep water is therefore a unique environment in which organic archaeological material can be very well-preserved.

This year's work on the ENDEAVOR will focus on two areas south of the Crimea peninsula in the northern Black Sea. The Greek colony of Chersonesos was founded here during the Classical period (c. 5th century BC) and was inhabited up through the Middle Ages. The aim of the 2006 survey is to use side scan sonar and ROVs to locate, identify, and document archaeological sites that can tell us about the patterns of trade connected to Chersonesos, both within the Black Sea and out to the Aegean and Mediterranean. Patterns of ship traffic and cargos from around the Black Sea will help understand the nature and scope of ancient trade in the Pontus region.