Contested maritime heritage

Andreou, Georgia Marina (2025) Contested maritime heritage. In, Saloul, I. and Baillie, B. (eds.) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Cultural Heritage and Conflict. Palgrave Macmillan Cham. (doi:10.1007/978-3-030-61493-5_45-1).

Record type: Book Section

Abstract

Contested maritime heritage encompasses evidence of the engagement of people with the sea in the past, the ownership and stewardship rights of which are disputed. While such evidence can be tangible (material culture) and intangible and can be found both on land and under the water, tangible maritime heritage, also referred to as maritime archaeology, is more commonly contested. Maritime archaeology located under the water, broadly referred to as underwater cultural heritage, is subject to different domestic and international laws depending on its proximity to the shore. Contention arises when maritime heritage is (a) located within contested land and/or maritime territories or (b) in areas beyond state jurisdiction but bearing verifiable links with or evidence of ownership by a state. In these contexts, the documentation, salvage, and stewardship of maritime heritage has political dimensions that can be, and have been, instrumentalized to legitimize politico-economic interventions and territory claims during active and nonactive conflict.

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