Against the backdrop of a contentious case to decide ownership of one of the world's most valuable undersea discoveries, a noted maritime archaeologist presents his arguments against treasure hunting and for the careful conservation and study of shipwrecks and their artifacts.
In December 2009, U.S. District Court Judge Steven D. Merryday issued an order concerning ownership of artifacts from a shipwreck. For now it is the final word in a 2 .5 -year legal case that has commanded international headlines and captured the attention of officials in three separate nations—the United States, Spain, and Peru.
