Values in Maritime Archaeological Heritage: A Socio-Economic Study in Understanding the Public's Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Preserving Shipwrecks in the Graveyard of Atlantic, North Carolina

Summary

Off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks are the remains of ships spanning hundreds of years of history, architecture, technology, industry, and maritime culture.  Potentially more than 2,000 ships have been lost in "The Graveyard of the Atlantic" due to a combination of natural and human factors.  These shipwrecks are tangible artifacts to the past and constitute important archaeological resources.  They also serve as dramatic links to North Carolina’s historic maritime heritage, helping to establish a sense of identity and place within American history.  This paper presents results from an exploratory study that combined qualitative and quantitative methodologies from the fields of archaeology, economics, and sociology, by engaging different populations in a series of interviews and surveys.  The study was designed to understand and evaluate North Carolina's residents' perceptions and willingness to pay for preservation of shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015   •
• Engaging the Public: Involving People Underwater, On Land, and Online in Maritime Archaeology

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 294