via The Conversation, 29 April 2024: This is a project I am involved in: “Reuniting Cargoes” focuses on identifying the origins of ‘orphaned objects’—artifacts removed from Southeast Asia’s underwater heritage sites and sold, often obscuring their historical significance. By utilizing advanced archaeological methods and collaborating with local communities, researchers aim to trace these objects back to their original shipwrecks. This initiative not only aids in preserving cultural history but also helps enhance the understanding and appreciation of these artifacts beyond their commercial value.
A lot of the recent talk about maritime issues in Southeast Asia has focused on issues such as security, the Blue Economy, law enforcement and climate change. But there’s one maritime challenge that’s gone underdiscussed: underwater heritage.
We are co-investigators on a research project called Reuniting Cargoes: Underwater Cultural Heritage of the Maritime Silk Route.
Since the 1960s, Southeast Asia has seen a big rise in both commercial and illicit salvage of underwater cultural heritage. These items are often taken from unprotected sites and sold through middlemen and auction houses to collectors and museums. In this process, the connection to their original locations is lost or obscured, diminishing their cultural and historical significance.
This project aims to address that challenge by working out which object came from what shipwreck, and how it came to be out of the water and in collections.
