The Legal Tutelage of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in Argentina.

ENDERE, MARIA LUZ; LEVRAND, NORMA

The Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage: National Approaches and Perspectives

Brill

Lugar: Leiden; Año: 2022;

Argentina ratified the The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2010. However, the findings and research in underwater archeology had begun several decades earlier. Archaeological heritage in Argentina is legally protected at various levels for being a federal country. The objective of this chapter is to describe the current legislation regarding the protection of underwater cultural heritage and to analyze the impact of the ratification of the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage on the protection of these cultural assets. The analysis of the national and provincial legislation as well as a number of draft proposals of law presented at the National Congress provide information on the main debates produced on this topic in the country. Successful cases of research and management of underwater cultural assets are also developed, analyzing the impact of the implementation of management policies made by the competent bodies as well as the collaboration provided by underwater archaeologists. Some remarkable cases of objects stolen and recovered by the Argentine Federal Police and the juridical authorities are also mentioned. A future agenda is proposed which focuses on some key issues including the need of federal underwater cultural heritage specific national law, and the development an area within the administration specially dedicated to the management of this heritage and to technical coordination with the provinces among others recommendations.