Underwater Cultural Heritage and Armed Conflict: An Analysis under the 1954 Hague Convention

This article explores the protection of underwater cultural heritage under the umbrella of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict as a guide to analyse the impact of armed conflict on underwater cultural heritage. During direct confrontations, underwater cultural heritage faces threats, including deliberate destruction, looting for profit, and damage from military activities. In fact, underwater cultural heritage has been used and is still used in military strategy as a tool of hybrid warfare. Together, the 1954 Hague Convention and the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage offer a comprehensive approach to safeguarding cultural heritage, including underwater sites and artefacts, by combining legal frameworks, preservation strategies, and international cooperation efforts mitigating the devastating impact of warfare on underwater cultural heritage.