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Protecting shipwrecks¹

Summary

24 March 2014

A group of historians are worried Britain's underwater heritage is being threatened by treasure hunters. They are asking the British government to sign up to a UN convention to help protect shipwrecks.

Reporter:

Jane Frances Kelly

Report

A group of leading archaeologists and scholars fear historically significant wrecks³ lying beyond Britain's territorial⁴ waters are being plundered⁶ and destroyed by commercial treasure hunters.

The UN convention covers ships that have been on the seabed for over a century. Quite apart from their historical significance, they are also the final resting place for those lost at sea. Sir Barry Cunliffe, retired⁷ Professor of European Archaeology⁸ at Oxford⁹ University, says the UN convention provides a legal and practical framework for protecting such sites.

Sir Barry Cunliffe, retired Professor of European Archaeology:

What it does mean is that if a British ship lies in deep waters outside [our] territorial waters, any signatory can prevent anyone who is doing treasure-seeking on that wreck² from using their own ports. So it begins to strengthen our hold on our underwater cultural heritage.

In the past, some wrecks were protected from plunder⁵ because they lay deep beneath the sea, but advancing excavation¹⁰ techniques have stripped away this safeguard. Sir Barry says treasure hunters can be very destructive as they try to find valuable artefacts.

Britain abstained¹¹ from voting for the convention back in 2001 because it doubted it would be effective given it doesn't have universal support. However, the British government says it has adopted the detailed¹² practical guidelines provided by UNESCO when dealing¹³ with marine¹⁴ archaeology, and it will continue to keep its position under review. Sir Barry and his fellow scholars hope that their report will prompt ministers to take a fresh look at the matter.