Underwater archaeological site of the San José shipwreck, Panama
UNESCO concerned about San José shipwreck site The commercial exploitation of the wreck of the 17th century Spanish galleon San José, situated off the shores of Panama, failed to meet scientific standards causing considerable damage to its archaeological site, according to a report by UNESCO.
December 13, 2015, source: UNESCO
The government of Panama voiced concern about the preservation of the site and invited the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body of UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage to send experts to Las Perlas. The experts visited the site in July and October this year and assessed activities undertaken since 2003 as part of the commercial exploitation of the galleon.
“The archaeological survey methodology […] was not carried out according to current standards of professional archaeological practice,” the experts conclude, noting serious damage to the archaeological site. Thus, the use of propeller deflectors that generate powerful jets of water to “excavate” the site, has damaged both the archaeological heritage of the galleon and its natural environment.
These methods are contrary to international standards as laid out in the Annex of UNESCO’s Convention that has been ratified by Panama, according to the report.
The experts also noted that some of the artefacts the company in charge of the exploitation of the site presented as coming from the San José, probably date from a later period. In July this year, Panama’s National Directorate of Historcal Heritage moreover seized material coming from the galleon as they were about to be exported without the necessary permits.
The exerts denounce the mercantile approach to the project, which focused exclusively on the search for material of commercial value. They recommend that all activities relating the underwater heritage be carried out in conformity with the principles of the UNESCO Convention, which prioritizes the protection of underwater archaeological sites. They also encourage the Panamanian authorities to promote a scientific approach to underwater archaeology and organize an exhibition about the remains of the San José.
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