By: Justine Benanty
On
July 7, the Haitian Minister of Culture, Monique Rocourt, publicly stated that the Haitian Government has
revoked the permit of famed treasure hunter Barry Clifford's on the alleged Santa
Maria site. When the discovery news first went public back in May
2014, UNESCO was asked for
their technical assistance to determine
the validity of Clifford's claims and assess his permit and archaeological
methods. UNESCO has since determined that the methodology and diver team
employed by Clifford does not comply with the standards set by the Scientific
Council of the UNESCO Convention. |
| Barry Clifford's photograph of the alleged Santa Maria wreck. Credit: CNN |
Minister
Rocourt also pointed out that although Clifford had announced to the public
that he had discovered this site, it
had actually previously
been studied by the University of Florida back in the 1970s-80s. Maritime
archaeologists – trained academics and scientists - who don’t harbor the same
focus on profit and fame over proper research, would have done their due
diligence by conducting a full research analysis and likely have left
Christopher Columbus out of the equation, until there was concrete proof of
this allegation.
As
to the 'state of emergency' invoked by Clifford concerning this site, the
Haitian Government and UNESCO have also rejected this claim, as the wreck remains
protected by the natural elements and sediments, meaning immediate danger is
not imminent. Doing a full excavation would do more harm than good in both the
short and long term. The Council has cautiously recommended that some
archaeological fieldwork will continue on this site but only under the auspices
of UNESCO's technical assistance. Their team will likely survey the site in
August of this year.
This
is an example of what many maritime archaeologists face - their efforts are not
only focused on research but on struggling to counteract the claims and
extensive financial flows of treasure hunters worldwide. It is governments in
the developing world that need to recognize the difference between claims of
grandeur and hard scientific fact. Even small decisions to restrict actions by alleged archaeologists; help foster a scientific and knowledgeable
environment.
 |
| Treasure Hunter Barry Clifford discussing his 'discovery' on CNN. Credit: World News |
This
situation becomes even more interesting beyond the Santa Maria discovery.
A simple news search shows that media coverage of this decision has only
been covered by Haitian or foreign language media outlets. Once the initial
announcement via the mass media was released in May to the American press,
there has been little to no coverage of these developments since May in English-language
outlets.
This
illustrates a trend in American sensationalist media where only the exciting or
provoking news is made public, while the follow-up stories that are grounded in
reality, are forgotten or dismissed. If the American public were able to know about
why Clifford's permit was revoked or why treasure hunters and archaeologists
are ethically at odds, it would foster a new thoughtful perspective on cultural
resources management and site preservation. The media is an integral part
in spreading
awareness of issues surrounding our cultural resources.
