Glossary beginning with U

The Glossary provides basic legal and technical definitions for the most common terms related to the fight against illicit traffic in cultural goods.

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U

Underwater Heritage

Underwater cultural heritage means all traces of human existence having a cultural, historical or archaeological character which have been partially or totally under water, periodically or continuously, for at least 100 years such as:

- sites, structures, buildings, artefacts and human remains, together with their archaeological and natural context;

- vessels, aircraft, other vehicles or any part thereof, their cargo or other contents, together with their archaeological and natural
context; and

- objects of prehistoric character.

Pipelines and cables placed on the seabed shall not be considered as underwater cultural heritage. Installations other than pipelines and cables, placed on the seabed and still in use, shall not be considered as underwater cultural heritage.

Source: UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage