Treasure hunting
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Treasure hunting is the physical search for treasure. For example, treasure hunters try to find sunken shipwrecks and retrieve artifacts with market value. This industry is generally fueled by the market for antiquities.
The practice of treasure-hunting can be controversial, as locations such as sunken wrecks or cultural sites may be protected by national or international law concerned with property ownership, marine salvage, sovereign or state vessels, commercial diving regulations, protection of cultural heritage and trade controls.
Treasure hunting can also refer to
History
In 1643, Massachusetts treasure hunter Sir William Phips salvaged a sunken Spanish treasure ship which had been wrecked on the Ambrosia Bank in 1599. The total worth of the treasures salvaged came in at £205,536.[1] The Nuestra Señora de Atocha left Havana bound for Spain in 1622, foundering during the voyage.
American treasure hunter Mel Fisher and his crew spent sixteen years searching for the shipwreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. Three silver bars were found in 1973, five bronze cannons were found in 1975, and in 1980, a wooden hull weighted down by ballast stones, iron cannonballs and artifacts of 17th-century Spain were found, confirming the location of the wreck.[2]
The
In 1782 the
Actors
Since the late 1990s, reacting against increasingly energetic efforts by the international community to stop the destruction of the world submerged cultural heritage, treasure hunting companies started hiring
The early stages of the development of archaeology included a significant aspect of treasure hunting; Heinrich Schliemann's excavations at Troy, and later at Mycenae, both turned up significant finds of golden artifacts. Early work in Egyptology also included a similar motive. Modern amateur treasure hunters use relatively inexpensive metal detectors to locate finds at terrestrial sites.[citation needed]
More recently, most serious treasure hunters have started working underwater, where modern technology allows access to wrecks containing valuables, which were previously inaccessible.
Equipment
Rubberised suits, weighted belts and shoes, and helmets are used for deep-sea diving.
Legality
In 1906, the Secretaries of the Interior of Agriculture and War made an act for the preservation of American Antiquities (ancient artifacts). This act says that each of the Interior would have their own specific authority over different artifacts or locations based on their department. These artifacts and locations are as follows: Historic landmarks, historic monuments, objects of antiquity, objects of scientific value and historical value. The Secretary of Agriculture has jurisdiction over artifacts and monuments found within the outer limits of forest reserves. The secretary of War for any land that resides in or near a military reserve. The lands that are controlled by the US Government will be supervised by the respective Secretary. Permits will not be granted to those trying to move or take any monument or artifact that can be preserved in its original place and remain an ancient monument. A permit will not be granted to someone "whose eyes are bigger than their stomach." In other words, those trying to explore a vast amount of area with little help and the job seems to not be done within the time limit designated by the certain someone, that permit will not be granted. Each permit will be granted by the respective Secretaries that have jurisdiction over those certain sites. Also including to the permit just stated above you also need these following requirements: The name of the Institution making the request, how much time it will take, the date, the person in charge of the project, what type of project it is going to be, excavating, gathering or examining, and the museum where the artifact will be shown and preserved. Each permit will only be granted for 3 years or less. An extension can be granted if progress is shown. Permits will not be in effect if work does not begin within six months of getting the permit.[4]
The United States federal Abandoned Shipwrecks Act, which asserts the federal government's ownership of abandoned United States water shipwrecks, was put into place in 1988. Any shipwreck that is embedded in submerged lands and/or in coralline formations protected by a State on submerged lands of a state is property of the government. The Abandoned Shipwrecks Act then transfers ownership to the appropriate State government. The Supreme Court upheld the Abandoned Shipwrecks Act constitutionality in 1998. In the US, the finder of a ship not abandoned could seek a salvage award.[5] The countries England, Wales, and Northern Ireland claim gold and silver finds that are more than three hundred years old for the crown by way of the Treasure Act of 1996. Any found treasure in these nations must be reported within fourteen days of uncovering.
The United States awards ownership to the landowner. If finds occur on federal land it can be considered a federal offense. Most of the United States prosecutes the unearthing of burial grounds.[6]
Criticism
Treasure hunting is condemned by a growing number of nations, and
Notable treasure hunters
- RMS Republic in 1981.[15]
- Brent Brisben founder of 1715 Fleet - Queens Jewels, LLC owners of the identified remains of the 1715 Plate Fleet.[16]
- John Chatterton (discoverer of the Pirate Ship of Joseph Bannsister Golden Fleece)
- Mel Fisher (discoverer of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha)[17]
- Cork Graham (war correspondent, author)
- Mike Hatcher(discoverer of the "Nanking Cargo")
- Robert F. Marx (underwater archaeologist, author)
- John Mattera (author and discoverer of the Pirate Ship of Joseph Bannsister Golden Fleece)
- Juan Ponce de León (searched the new world for gold and the Fountain of Youth)
- E. Lee Spence (pioneer underwater archaeologist, discoverer of the Hunley, SS Ozama, SS Georgiana. etc.)
- Phillip Masters, founder of Intersal, Inc., discovered Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge in 1996.[18]
Notable treasure hunting companies
- Columbus-America Discovery Group located and salvaged treasure from 1857 shipwreck of the SS Central America, using research by Dr. E. Lee Spence
- Intersal, Inc., while working under permit from the state of North Carolina, discovered the pirate Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, on November 21, 1996.[19][20]
- Lords Of Fortune LLC is engaged in the recovery of The Tsar's Treasure from the famous treasure shipwreck RMS Republic.
- Odyssey Marine Exploration located and salvaged treasure from 1865 shipwreck of the SS Republic, using research by Dr. E. Lee Spence
- Shipwrecks, Inc. chartered in 1967 by Dr. E. Lee Spence, received 1st salvage license issued in South Carolina, for work on CSS Georgiana
- Treasure Salvors, Inc., founded by Mel Fisher, located the Nuestra Señora de Atocha wreck and its mother lode of silver, gold and emeralds, in July 1985.[21]
See also
- Black Swan Project
- Buried treasure
- Geocaching
- Grave robbery
- Letterboxing
- List of missing treasures
- List of lost mines
- Magnet fishing
- Marine salvage
- Metal detector
- Nuestra Señora de Atocha
- Oak Island
- On the Trail of the Golden Owl
- Queen Anne's Revenge
- RMS Republic
- Shipwreck
- The Secret (treasure hunt)
- Treasure hunt (game)
References
- ^ a b c Helm, T. (1960). Treasure Hunting Around the World. New York: Dodd, Mead.
- ^ Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and Museum in Key West, Florida. (n.d.). Nuestra Señora de Atocha, Santa Margarita Spanish Galleons of 1622. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://www.melfisher.org/1622.htm
- ^ Zabludovsky, K. (2016, February 27). Shipwreck of S.S. Central America Yields More Gold. Retrieved March 28, 2017
- ^ a b c Rieseberg, H. (1970). Fell's Complete Guide to Buried Treasure: Land and Sea. New York: F. Fell.
- ^ a b c Malkiel, Y. (2013). An evolutionary look at the law, technology, and economics of sunken treasure. Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce, 44(2), 195–217.
- ^ a b Newman, C. (2017, March 24). Finders Keepers? Not Always in Treasure Hunting. Retrieved March 28, 2017
- ^ "Salvage Versus Archaeology" by Peter Throckmorton, The Historical Archaeology Forum, 1969, Volume 4, Part 1, Part 2, p. 133
- ^ Letter to E. Lee Spence from Kenneth Friedman, Executive Secretary, Sea Research Society, published in Sea Research Society Papers, 1972, Spence, Volume VI, p. 159
- ^ Macguire, Eoghan (14 March 2012). "Why scouring sea for sunken treasures is big business". CNN. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Berfield, Susan (7 June 2012). "Odyssey and the Lost Spanish Treasure". Bloomberg. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Horner, D. (1965). Shipwrecks, Skin Divers, and Sunken Gold. New York: Dodd, Mead.
- ^ "Protection | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". Unesco.org. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
- ^ Greenberg, Ariel (2 March 2012). "Has Reality TV Gone Too Far? Spike TV's American Diggers Angers the Archaeological Community". itsartlaw.org. Center for Art Law. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "National Geographic's Diggers: is it better?". Society for Historical Archaeology. February 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Hamacek, Heather (17 March 2016). "Diving Deep for RMS Republic's Treasure Is Riveting Tale". The Vineyard Gazette. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ Begley, Janet (18 March 2017). "See how Treasure Coast lives up to its name at area museums". TCPalm. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "MEL FISHER DAYS RECALLS MILLION DOLLAR SHIPWRECK & TREASURE HUNT". Keys Weekly. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ Martin, Douglas (23 August 2007). "Philip Masters, True Amateur of History, Dies at 70". New York Times. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ "QAR Discovered". Intersal, Inc. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ Waggoner, Martha (4 November 2019). "Stolen treasure? Blackbeard's ship case returns to court over photos". wpde.com. WPDE. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ Mathewson III, R. Duncan. "Treasure Of The Atocha". atochastory.com. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
Further reading
- Bass, George F. "After the Diving is Over," Underwater Archaeology Proceedings, Toni Carrell, ed., Society for Historical Archaeology, 1990, 10–13.
- Bass, George F. "The Men Who Stole the Stars," INA Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 2, 11.
- Burgess, Robert E. Sunken Treasure (Dodd, Mead; New York; 1988)
- Castro, Filipe. "Treasure Hunting", [1]
- Draper, Robert. "Indian Takers," Texas Monthly, March, 1993, 104–107, 121–124.
- Elia, Ricardo. "Nautical Shenanigans [review of book Walking the Plank]," Archaeology, Vol. 48, No. 1, January–February, 1995, 79–84.
- Graham, C., The Bamboo Chest; 2004
- Haldane, Cheryl. "The Abandoned Shipwreck Act," INA Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 2, 9.
- Kurson, Robert (2015). ISBN 9781400063369.
- Renfrew, Colin, Loot, Legitimacy and Ownership. London: Duckworth, 2000.
- E. Lee Spence, Treasures of the Confederate Coast: the "Real Rhett Butler" & Other Revelations (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995)
- Throckmorton, Peter. "The World's Worst Investment: The Economics of Treasure Hunting with Real Life Comparisons," Underwater Archaeology Proceedings, Toni Carrell, ed., Society for Historical Archaeology, 1990, 6–10.
- United States Senate. Public Law 100-298 [S. 858], Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987, April 28, 1988 (Courtesy of Calvin R. Cummings).
External links
- NC court rules in favor of company that discovered Blackbeard's flagship, WRAL
- N.C Supreme Court revives lawsuit over Blackbeard’s ship and lost Spanish treasure ship, Fayetteville Observer
- Two firms seek ship, Carolina Coast Online
- Treasure hunter in race to uncover ship of riches, Google
- Piracy worries in pirate pursuit Blackbeard, Baltimore Sun
- Philip Masters, True Amateur of History, Dies at 70, New York Times
- Shipwrecks and Treasure: the Spanish Treasure Fleet of 1750
- Treasure hunter that found Blackbeard's pirate ship sues state for $8.2 million, Fayetteville Observer
- Lawmakers enter legal battle over Blackbeard's ship, Citizen Times