If you find a Chinese artifact while scuba diving in a galleon, who does it belong to?

Question

The galleon is off the coast of California and has no markings to identify its name or ownership.

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief, what's found on the bottom doesn't always belong to the finder. Depending how far off shore the wreck was located and if the vessel was indeed a military galleon or contracted as such there are several possibilities.

If the wreck lies within State or National boundaries, ownership can revert to the State of California or the United States Federal government. If the vessel is a naval and not a merchant vessel, then it's ownership is actually that of it's country of origin, no matter where it is on the bottom. Naval vessels are by law, an extension of a nation's sovereignty. The owning nation's property, not the nation where it's found. There are two examples of this going through the courts right now, this one being the larger haul of the two: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...

In this case, Spain has the law on it's side as the vessel in question is BOTH military and was located within their waters.

Now, if this vessel of your lies in international waters, is not naval ( a merchantman) AND the vessel is recorded as being written off with no company having bought the salvors rights then it's possible that it's a finders keepers situation, but you'd need to do extensive research to prove it to keep the original owners or their representatives from getting their paws on it.

It's also quite possible that California has a marine heritage act, similar to one we have here in Ontario, that makes it just plain illegal to remove anything from a shipwreck, even if it is of no value.

In any event, you have an artifact to start with so you actually DO have something to go by. This is where the research comes in. Cargo manifests are a way to help identify a wreck. Chances are, unless that artifact was a personal possession of a crew member, it's recorded somewhere.

If you want to read a little more about legal wrangling and treasure hunting, google the wreck of the Atocha.

Answer 2

belongs to me!

Answer 3

If you found it, its yours. The oceans are nuetral so its not one countries'.