Yesterday, reporters learned from the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau that the 2013 report on the inspection of the protection status of underwater cultural heritage and the supervision of cultural relics law enforcement in the Xisha Islands has recently been released, revealing that the phenomenon of illegal salvaging of cultural relics still exists.
Over 90 underwater cultural heritage sites have been recorded
The inspection, which lasted more than 20 days, conducted detailed surveys and explorations of 23 underwater cultural heritage sites across the various sea areas of the Xisha Islands. Hainan Province’s first cultural relics law enforcement supervision vessel also made its maiden voyage to the Xisha Islands, demonstrating the province's determination and commitment to protecting cultural relics there. To date, a total of over 90 underwater cultural heritage sites have been identified and recorded in the waters of the Xisha Islands, adding significant value to research on the maritime Silk Road in the South China Sea region.
Illegal salvaging of underwater cultural relics persists
The inspection revealed that the illegal salvaging of cultural relics remains an issue. Although, compared to the past, the preservation status of most underwater cultural heritage sites has significantly improved and incidents of looting and salvaging have relatively decreased, a small number of sites have still suffered from looting and damage, with the methods and targets of such illegal activities also evolving.
The targets of salvaging are no longer limited to small items such as porcelain; even larger artifacts such as anchor stones and iron cannons have been looted. For example, at the No. 13 relic site on North Reef, three anchor stones were found during a 2010 survey—only one was collected at the time due to limitations, but a follow-up inspection this year found that the remaining two had disappeared. At the No. 1 relic site on Jade Cut Reef, four iron cannons were found in 2010, but upon verification this year, all four had been illegally salvaged, leaving only clear imprints of the cannons at the site.
Authorities plan to establish cultural relics workstations
Regarding the issue of cultural relics looting, the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau plans to carry out rescue excavations on some high-value and high-risk sites, such as the No. 1 Shipwreck Site of Coral Island, the No. 1 Shipwreck Site of Golden and Silver Island, and the No. 2 Site of Stone Islet. These excavations will be conducted annually and in batches to provide physical materials for research and to prepare more exhibits for the National Museum of the South China Sea.
As more underwater cultural heritage sites are discovered, relying solely on inspections and law enforcement by cultural relics management departments is clearly not realistic. In addition to continuing to commission maritime authorities to intensify patrols and striving to make such efforts regular and institutionalized, the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau will also adopt various measures to enhance oversight. Relevant authorities have planned to establish cultural relics workstations for on-site patrols and protection of underwater cultural relics in the Xisha Islands, as well as to set up video surveillance systems to monitor and combat illegal activities involving the looting and destruction of underwater cultural heritage sites.