It seems that some divers are prepared to ignore the old diving adage so that they can have a prized bit of ancient pottery on their mantelpiece.
According to the Guardian newspaper, modern day treasure hunters are looting the underwater heritage around the Greek islands since the lifting of a ban on coastal scuba-diving six years ago.
The Mediterranean sea, described by Paul Rose in his book 'Oceans', as the Cradle of Western Civilization, is one of the world’s most important seas when it comes to providing a window on our past.
On its banks it grew many of the great early civilisations and it was the Phoenicians who first developed the science of seafaring. Archaeologists believe it was the Mediterranean itself that allowed this rapid growth, as those intrepid enough plied the waves as both explorers and traders. Such communities became richer, culturally and economically.
As a result, archaeologists believe there are thousands of shipwrecks lying beneath the waves containing priceless treasures and evidence of man’s early life.
Unfortunately, it would appear that treasure hunters, encouraged by scuba-diving websites from America to Australia, are now plundering this archaeological and cultural heritage.
I don’t suppose it should come as a surprise, having read Shadow Divers and Deep Decent (Kevin F McMurray). Both recount tales of 'China Fever' among extreme divers pushing themselves to the limits as they scoured the wreck of the Andrea Doria for bits of crockery. Sadly some didn't live to have a plate or cup on their mantelpiece.
Surely us scuba divers have a responsibility to protect wrecks and archaeological discoveries in much the same way we delicately treat the coral reefs which provide much of our pleasure.
I can’t imagine many of us would stand by watching someone rip up a giant fan coral, so why should we sit back while others take amphoras, ingots and whatever other treasure they can lay their hands on?
Leave the recovery of artifacts to the experts
Maritime archaeologists from around the world regularly search around the Greek islands for ancient shipwrecks that they hope with shed another shaft of light onto our past. Perhaps we should leave the removal of artifacts to their expert hands.
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