DROWNED cities and sunken ships may seem the preserve of a few obsessed
divers, but in fact all these are now classed as part of our underwater cultural
heritage. What’s more, the UN is very keen to protect it, although two important
international high-level meetings of experts have passed virtually
unnoticed.
“Underwater cultural heritage” includes all traces of human existence with a
cultural, historical or archaeological character, either partially or totally
under water for at least 100 years—whether periodically or continuously.
This includes buildings, artefacts, vessels, aircraft, cargo and objects of
prehistoric character—but not pipelines or cables on the…
