Preserving a layered history of the Western Wadden Sea : managing an underwater cultural heritage resource (original) (raw)
Related papers
Managing the Maritime Heritage under Water. The Choices We Face.
Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig …, 2006
The incredible number and diversity of (early) post-Medieval wreck sites that have been preserved in Dutch territorial waters produces a range of dilemmas in archaeological heritage management. This wealth of archaeological material is a blessing, but it is also a curse. It is not diffi cult to choose interesting objects for research, but to take responsibility for the Dutch underwater cultural heritage as a whole is an expensive, time-consuming task. It has as many potential loopholes and pitfalls as it has benefi ts. Nevertheless, allencompassing management strategies are the mission of any heritage agency, under a coherent strategy for which the Minister of Culture is responsible. The conditions, possibilities and ambitions associated with the underwater cultural heritage have changed dramatically since the issue fi rst arose some 25 years ago. Because of these changes, the choices we face are now dramatically different too. Looking back at 25 years of underwater archaeology in the Netherlands, the present authors conclude that the solutions that were adequate 25 years ago are no longer adequate today. Looking forward, they attempt to indicate possible future directions. Evaluating the present state of Dutch cultural heritage management, they explore the potential for and advantages of joint management of our common European cultural heritage, suggesting a number of small steps towards joint efforts. An international approach is needed even more nowadays to avoid isolation in the national arena.
Archaeological heritage management in Dutch waters: exploratory studies.
During the last decades the growing concern for heritage has had growing concern for submerged and sunken heritage as a result. It therefore became desirable to strive for a consistent policy with a firmly scientific basis. The studies presented here aspire to contribute to that aim in an exploratory way. The first part consists of three introspective and estimating essays. They deal with cultural and environmental conditions determining our present assessments of the Dutch situation. The second part of the book discusses an 'illustrative theme'. It introduces the concept of Dutch-Flush shipbuilding and presents a series of archaeological case-studies addressing Early Modern Shipbuilding technology in an analytical and social perspective.
Maritime archaeology in the Netherlands.
Maritime archaeology has only relatively recently entered the politica! agenda, albeit mostly in a very modest way. Nevertheless one can certainly consider this specific field as an integral part of cultural polities. Viewed in that perspective it is small wonder that there are marked differences in the way the maritime heritage is reflected upon. The role that the present day community allots to it has considerable impact on the way its archaeological disdosure or proteetion can set about. In this article, it will be ventured to outline sonw of the parameters to which maritime archaeology in the Netherlands presently cunforms, and to explain some .of the resultant policy choices.
Final report International Programme for Maritime Heritage 2017-2021
Final report International Programme for Maritime Heritage 2017-2021, 2022
This is the final report of the International Programme for Maritime Heritage, carried out between 2017 and 2021 under the aegis of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE). This report describes the programme's goals, its mission, vision and how it worked towards those goals, including the adjustments required by the corona crisis to achieve them. This overview shows how much has been achieved in a relatively short time and what structure has been put in place to ensure the continued sound management of underwater cultural heritage. See for example the various protocols for maritime heritage that have been published. At the end of the report, a glimpse into the future awaits the reader when the vision described at the beginning of the programme is recalled and suggestions are made for further steps and their implementation. This publication is also available in Dutch.
Underwater cultural heritage – problems and solutions (?)
Revista de Direito Internacional, 2020
The development of modern survey, navigation, diving and remotely operated vehicle technologies contributed to the development of the maritime archaeology and the exploration and protection of shipwrecks by the official authorities of the countries but also to the accessibility of the underwater world by private persons and enterprises. The regime of the 1982 UNCLOS III has been proved absolutely counterproductive for the protection of the underwater cultural objects. The 2001 UNESCO Convention is an improvement, being though a compromise – as every international instrument. It states, that “the protection of underwater cultural heritage through in situ preservation shall be considered as the first option”. Its opponents, though, argue that it does not give the speedy response that would be needed in order to put obstacles to “the international industry of treasure hunters”. Various countries have enacted laws on the protection of underwater cultural heritage. Obviously, the differe...
Environmental factors in underwater cultural heritage management.
There is no doubt that a policy of archaeological management should be carefully tuned to the specific characteristics of the area to which it is meant to apply. As a consequence different circumstances will quite rightly result in different policy decisions. Underwater management is no exception. Indeed, the generally marginal circumstances imply that environmental factors are even more predominant in decision-making, as slight differences are bound to have great consequences. In practical rnatters this is obvious. Depth, tidal range. shelter, visibility and temperature strongly influence all practical decisions. This paper, however, will not deal with those. At amore elementary level environmental factors are considered to be of pre-eminent importance for differential site formation and differential preservation. In discussing the Dutch situation an attempt will be made to isolate the more important ones, or at least to differentiate between areas in which different sees of factors have been at work. The differential assessment of the archaeological significance of such areas or zones is the reasoned basis on which management choices can fellow. This, however, is not to say that the conclusions are of a peremptory nature. Of necessity they are crude and open to discussion and refinement.
The term "Underwater Cultural Heritage" encompasses all traces of the existence of humanity inclusive of sites, structures, wrecks and their cargo, artifacts, prehistoric objects, et alhaving a cultural, historical, or archaeological character that has been over the years submerged and thus exists underwater. The concept of underwater archaeology or heritage can be said to be a relatively novel discipline and with the passage of time become a concerned discourse as the need for the protection of these underwater cultural heritage became of paramount and intrinsic value to mankind. A number of states have enacted legislations that specifically applies to underwater cultural heritage but most of these municipal heritage protection legislation, does not apply beyond territorial waters. A less comprehensive attempt was made Mankind stand in some relation to the oceans and its inhabitantsas means of transportation, communication, political and religious affiliation etc. The importance of the oceans and its bodies cannot be over-emphasized. However, traversing the seas brings peril in proportion to its benefits: scholars estimate that more than three million shipwrecks currently lie on the ocean floors. Of these, scientists have explored less than one percent. 1 This is a wealth of knowledge for archeologists and other persons of interest seeking to understand patterns of human behavior over the centuries, as well as scholars seeking to recover lost elements of history. These pre-historic underwater properties can be said to be part of the concept of underwater cultural heritage.
The re-utilization and preservation of underwater cultural heritage
This talk will focus on the importance of the maritime cultural heritage and the challenges and opportunities created by the find, recording, excavation and publication of archaeological finds. It will make the point for the importance of the submerged cultural heritage, the reasons to preserve it, the value of archaeological remains, the importance of sharing them with a diverse public, the best ways to share and protect it, and the basic rules to reconstruct historical environments.