Wednesday, 12th December 2007 (1815 views)

The Spanish cultural ministry is set to gather a team of regional government representatives, security forces and archaeologists to create a plan to protect the country's claims on sunken artefacts, including gold and buried treasure, it has emerged.

According to a report from the Christian Science Monitor, the action is a response to the ongoing legal battle over the contents of a Spanish shipwreck – containing gold coins – which were recovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration, a private American firm.

It is possible that up to 8,000 shipwrecks from the 15th century to the 19th century could still be underwater, containing historic value, according to Javier Moreiga, whi directs an underwater archaeological team connected with the University of Malaga.

"They also have scientific value, which is deteriorating in the face of archaeological pillaging," he said.

Last month, an American judge informed attorneys for both Odyssey Marine Exploration and the Spanish government to develop a confidentiality agreement to reveal the location of the sunken ship without making the information public.

According to the Associated Free Press, hundreds of gold coins were recovered from the sunken treasure trove earlier this year.

 

« Back to the stories

 

The news feeds on this site are independently provided by Adfero Limited © and do not represent the views or opinions of the World Gold Council.