Saving or selling underwater heritage? the role and impact of treasure hunting on the Island of Mozambique

Abstract

Maritime archaeologists claim to be the ones with the legal rights and skills to research and determine the use of underwater heritage. This raises tension with other stakeholders such as academic researchers, local communities, governments and professional treasure hunters. I explore this situation using the case study of Mozambique Island where a large-scale commercial treasure hunting company, Arqueonautas, recovered and sold valuable underwater heritage items around the world. Under pressure from various concerned stakeholders, the Mozambiquan government terminated Arqueonautas’ hunting contract in 2014. Thereafter, maritime archaeologists stepped in to preserve and conserve what was left while some local communities took part in small commercial treasure hunting activities. To understand perceptions on underwater heritage, this ethnographic research interviewed marine tour guides, informal sellers, boat manufactures and fisherfolk whose lives depend on the Island of Mozambique sea. Accordingly, the research contributes to underwater heritage debates arguing that it is crucial to take into consideration the interests of all the stakeholders (the government, international organizations for conservation of cultural heritage, local communities, marine archeologists, academic researchers and treasure hunters) associated with underwater heritage