The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 05/06/2010
--
Director general of UNESCO Irina Bokova has expressed concern about negotiations to sell a large number of artifacts salvaged from the wreck of a 10th century ship lying off the coast of Java, saying Indonesia may lose a valuable heritage.
UNESCO, therefore, is encouraging the Indonesian government to make every effort to ensure that a thorough scientific examination of the site is carried out and the artifacts are exhibited in museums.
“It would be unfortunate to allow the heritage of such an historical and archaeological value to be scattered, thereby depriving both scientists and the general public of access to an exceptional collection. Exploiting an archaeological site and dispersing its artifacts is an irreversible process. Yet the contents of the shipwreck found off the coast of the city of Cirebon have much to tell us about cultural and commercial exchanges in the region at that time,” Bokova said in a press statement Wednesday.
The sale of the cargo by the Indonesian government was originally set for May 5 in Jakarta but it was postponed for lack of buyers.
UNESCO, through its 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, urges states to safeguard sunken heritage and to make it available for scientific study and public enjoyment.
Bokova said UNESCO would stand ready to lend its expertise in museology and conservation to the Indonesian authorities to conserve the artifacts.
Located by a private exploration company in 2004 off the coast of Cirebon in northern Java, the ship is thought to have foundered in the 10th century as it sailed to Java from Sumatra. More than 270,000 artifacts (Chinese ceramics, religious objects, jewelry, gold coins, pottery etc.) were salvaged from the wreck, giving the discovery exceptional historical value.
In 2007, a mission of experts from UNESCO visited the site where the find is stored. The experts underlined their historical importance and the need to conserve them in suitable conditions. They offered to help the Indonesian government preserve the artifacts, which are particularly fragile when they are brought out of the water.
--
--
Director general of UNESCO Irina Bokova has expressed concern about negotiations to sell a large number of artifacts salvaged from the wreck of a 10th century ship lying off the coast of Java, saying Indonesia may lose a valuable heritage.
UNESCO, therefore, is encouraging the Indonesian government to make every effort to ensure that a thorough scientific examination of the site is carried out and the artifacts are exhibited in museums.
“It would be unfortunate to allow the heritage of such an historical and archaeological value to be scattered, thereby depriving both scientists and the general public of access to an exceptional collection. Exploiting an archaeological site and dispersing its artifacts is an irreversible process. Yet the contents of the shipwreck found off the coast of the city of Cirebon have much to tell us about cultural and commercial exchanges in the region at that time,” Bokova said in a press statement Wednesday.
The sale of the cargo by the Indonesian government was originally set for May 5 in Jakarta but it was postponed for lack of buyers.
UNESCO, through its 2001 Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, urges states to safeguard sunken heritage and to make it available for scientific study and public enjoyment.
Bokova said UNESCO would stand ready to lend its expertise in museology and conservation to the Indonesian authorities to conserve the artifacts.
Located by a private exploration company in 2004 off the coast of Cirebon in northern Java, the ship is thought to have foundered in the 10th century as it sailed to Java from Sumatra. More than 270,000 artifacts (Chinese ceramics, religious objects, jewelry, gold coins, pottery etc.) were salvaged from the wreck, giving the discovery exceptional historical value.
In 2007, a mission of experts from UNESCO visited the site where the find is stored. The experts underlined their historical importance and the need to conserve them in suitable conditions. They offered to help the Indonesian government preserve the artifacts, which are particularly fragile when they are brought out of the water.
--
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire