Page 45 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

where preservation has generally been
much better than on land. Feedback from
the medical sciences in palaeopathology has
been considerable. Customs and cultures
of prehistory and later periods have been deduced from funerary practices. In the
process of studying funerary practices and
burial sites, cremation remains and bones
are often collected. Although these remains
are handled with the care appropriate for scientific specimens, this care is not necessarily identical with the care that according to a variety of cultures is due to the remains of deceased humans or human ancestors. As a result, such bones have in a number of cases become bones of contention, connected with fierce disputes. The number of disputes that have sparked from the archaeological study of human remains stresses the sensitivity of the issue.
Rule 5 demands due respect for human remains and equally requests due respect for venerated sites. These two issues are clearly interlinked as grave sites and monuments are often places of veneration. In addition to submerged tombs, inundated caves, sacrificial resting places or sunken burial ships, there are, however, also other submerged venerated
sites, as for instance sacred cenotes (carst caves or sinkholes), prehistoric or historic offering places, sunken temples and the abodes of sacred animals. In many instances, veneration changed or disappeared over time. In others, it persisted or has been given new substance under new circumstances, serving new purposes. Both human remains and venerated
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© Friends of the Hunley.The
H.L. Hunley, a submarine of the Confederate States of America that played a small part in the American Civil War before sinking in 1864, was discovered in the 1970s.The hull was first kept underwater for research but in 2000, as a national project referring to the American Civil War, the submarine was raised. At the time of its initial discovery the hull still contained the remains of its crew. In that context it was decided to proceed with utmost care and to investigate the remains forensically
in as much detail as possible.The remains of the crew were eventually laid to rest at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina.
 © A. Balbiano / PROAS-INAPL. Official burial of a private marine whose remains were found in the wreck of a 18th century British war ship, the HMS Swift, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The body of a private marine was found at the wrecksite of the 18th century british sloop of war HMS Swift, located in Puerto Deseado, Santa Cruz province, Argentina. After consultation between
the two countries’ government authorities it was decided to inter
the body in a cemetery in Buenos Aires after the completion of the related archaeological studies. In the photograph the UK Naval Attaché in Argentina, Chris Hyldon, walks behind the casket, and a group of private marines from the Argentinean Navy stands at the entrance of the chapel. Under certain circumstances such enterment is considered appropriate.
General Principles