Diverse Threats to MAST and its Heritage in Africa : Confronting Historical Amnesia and Salvors; Securing Slim Resources and Social Relevance

Summary

In much of the developing world a triumvirate of treasure hunting, politics, and a lack of technical capacity/resources have skewed portrayals of what maritime history is and why it is meaningful. Shipwreck sites in particular have been promoted as the embodiment of the heritage of "the other" with little local relevance. Treasure hunters accordingly go unchecked in their efforts to recover valuable historical cargos—with detrimental effects for the archaeological inventory. This paper will discuss how the maritime archaeology of the slave trade holds potential for compelling researchers, policy-makers, and broader publics to reappraise the local, regional and global impact and relevance of maritime heritage. It argues that maritime archeologists must frontally confront the threats that endanger maritime heritage sites through new approaches to investigation, management, and stakeholder engagement in order to render underwater cultural heritage relevant, meaningful, and secure in developing world contexts.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Maritime Archaeology of The Slave Trade: Perspectives, Prospects, and Reports from the Slave Wrecks Project   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 886