None is more explosively factional than the ethics of underwater archaeology.
The recent and immensely popular movie about the sinking of the Titanic built its script around a bare-faced hunt for an imagined treasure. At our invitation, John Broadwater , the highly respected maritime archaeologist and manager of the Monitor historic site, expresses his own views on this volatile issue. So claim many archaeologists and cultural resource managers the world over who are making a determined stand against underwater archaeological excavations involving any commercial aspects. Private sector factions insist that this issue deserves to be considered from both sides. These questions are currently being deliberated in domestic and international forums and the consequences of subsequent decisions may profoundly affect the entire historic preservation community as well as the underwater cultural heritage.