Readdressing Conservation In Situ: New Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to Underwater Cultural Heritage Management

Summary

Protecting cultural heritage and disseminating archaeological research are two of the primary tenets of archaeology.  Protocols, such as the 2001 UNESCO Convention, emphasize monitoring sites over excavation and conservation because of the financial constraints and labor involved, as well as the physical space needed to treat, store, and display collections.  However, no concise field standards exist, few clear directives are offered, and as a result, the application of appropriate conservation in situ practices is minimal. In response to these issues, a standardized approach is presented here that includes affordable and efficient directives for monitoring and documenting sites, along with recommended techniques that can help preserve and disseminate archaeology. This paper also proposes standard methodology that can provide an assessment of risks posed to a cultural heritage site, establish an acceptable limit of site degradation before a rescue excavation, and incorporate public stewardship as a means of site protection.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Practicing Maritime Cultural Resource Management: Directives for Assessment, Active Conservation in situ, Partial Excavations, and Public Stewardship   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 528