In 1978, an underwater treasure hunter happened onto a shipwreck in Biscayne National Monument (now a national park) near Miami, Florida. Mistakenly believing he had found a sunken Spanish treasure ship, Gerald Klein began collecting artifacts and soon went to court to claim ownership of the wreck. The United States intervened arguing the shipwreck was public property protected by the Antiquities Act of 1906, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, and other federal statutes. In 1983, ownership of the wreck was awarded to the people of the United States.
Sunken treasure may be the stuff of legends and movies, but shipwrecks are also invaluable archaeological treasures, and the two are seldom compatible. This intriguing archaeological history tells the story of the ship and its crew, its loss and rediscovery, the scholarly investigations that led to its identity, and the years of litigation and legislative initiatives that resulted in its preservation.
Authors Russell Skowronek and George Fischer were underwater archaeologists working for the National Park Service who played key roles in the shipwreck’s modern saga. In this lively volume they give a fist hand account that reads like an adventure novel, complete with intrigue and murder. The relatively new science of underwater archaeology, which combines sometimes dangerous dives with historical research, is thoroughly explained as part of the bigger story of the wreck.
It’s a great adventure, but more importantly it tells the history of the efforts to curtail irresponsible treasure hunting and protect historic shipwrecks in the United States and around the world. In last thirty years, Congress and the public have recognized the importance of preserving and studying sunken vessels for the vast information they contain. In this story science and the public interest triumph over the age-old quest for easy riches. – Mark Michel
