The cultural heritage at sea

Abstract

It is often said that there is more history underwater than in all the museums of the world combined. Beneath the water surface there are millions of shipwrecks and cities swallowed by the waves that testify numerous naval battles and natural phenomena and constitute a trace of distant and recent times. Such archaeological and historical objects form part of the shared common heritage and have helped humanity to reconstruct past cultures. Underwater cultural heritage (UCH) holds essential information on the history of humankind that requires protection and preservation. In recent times, the constant development of human uses of the sea, the increasing accessibility to the larger public and more extensive exploitation confront with the goal of UCH preservation and promotion.