Submerged cultural resources

Submerged cultural resources are human-made objects, structures, or sites located underwater, such as shipwrecks, sunken cities, or ancient tools and artifacts found beneath the water’s surface. These resources provide valuable insights into past civilizations, trade, technology, and history. They are protected by laws because they are important cultural heritage and vulnerable to damage from natural processes or human activities like fishing and salvage. Preservation efforts aim to document, study, and safeguard these underwater treasures for future generations, recognizing their significance in understanding human history across time.