Issue 14 (2013) – Rosetta

Emerging uses of the oceans are interfering with the preservation of underwater cultural heritage. Increasingly, international communications require an international submarine cable network. At the same time, the discipline of underwater heritage has finally created a serious legal framework to protect underwater cultural heritage from illegal activities. The crucial issue, however, is whether legal activities – such as laying submarine cables – threaten the protection of underwater cultural heritage, or whether the protection of this heritage conflicts with the best route for laying the submarine cables. Surprisingly little attention has been given to this aspect of heritage management.