Maritime Cultural Resource Investigation, Management, and Mitigation in Coastal Ghana

Maritime Archaeology and the Early Atlantic Trade: research at Elmina, Ghana

“…It also, however, promises continued challenges that extend beyond the difficult working environment. An important aspect of these challenges is the ethics of ‘opening up’ a new research area, particularly in a region with limited means for managing historical cultural resources (Cook, ; Horlings, ; see also Mather and Watts, ; Bass, ; Coroneos, ). Submerged cultural resources in Ghana have been protected up to now because there are very few individuals in the region with the technology to access them and there is a general lack of awareness as to their potential, historical or otherwise.…”

“…The simple fact that we have successfully completed maritime archaeological investigations in the region has broken that protective seal (see for example Gould, : 23; Oxley, : 88), and it is a serious responsibility for the researcher and the nation to do whatever possible to protect those remains ( United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982; UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage ). Responsible and meticulous theoretical frameworks and investigative techniques can provide not only valuable insights into historical maritime trade, but also hold immense potential for creating, in conjunction with Ghanaian authorities, a framework of maritime cultural heritage management legislation for Ghana (Horlings, ; see also UNESCO, ; Coroneos, : 113–114; Grenier et al ., ). This foundational investigation of submerged cultural resources is hopefully only the beginning of what can surely be a beneficial endeavour to study and protect the past, and in doing so, to also benefit those whose lives it touches directly as well as to protect history, the environment, and the future.…”