UNESCO Director-General concerned by possible dispersion of objects from 10th century sunken ship in Indonesia

• © UNESCO/Ulrike Guerin
• Artefacts salvaged from the wreck of a 10th century ship lying off the coast of Java (Indonesia)

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, expressed concern about negotiations to sell a large number of artefacts salvaged from the wreck of a 10th century ship lying off the coast of Java (Indonesia). The sale of the cargo by the Indonesian government was originally set for today 5 May in Jakarta but it was postponed for lack of a buyer.

“It would be unfortunate to allow heritage of such historical and archaeological value to be scattered, thereby depriving both scientists and the general public of access to an exceptional collection. Exploiting an archaeological site and dispersing its artefacts is an irreversible process. Yet the contents of the shipwreck found off the coast of the city of Cirebon have much to tell us about cultural and commercial exchanges in the region at that time,” said Ms Bokova. “UNESCO, through its 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, urges States to safeguard sunken heritage and to make it available for scientific study and public enjoyment. We therefore encourage the Indonesian government to make every effort to ensure that thorough scientific examination of the site is carried out and the artefacts are presented in museums. Evidently UNESCO stands ready to lend its expertise in museology and conservation to the Indonesian authorities.”

The rest of the news can be seen here.

• Source:UNESCO Jakarta
• 07-05-2010