Heritage Under Siege: The Champagne Shipwreck
Lecture by Suzie Thomas & Kristin Ilves
This talk examines a controversial case of archaeological heritage commodification: the partial salvage of cargo from the Champagne Schooner in the autonomous Åland Islands, Finland. Here, heritage was sidelined while its economic value was prioritised through the government-backed sale of salvaged champagne, supported by the local public. The case highlights how underwater heritage is easily commodified, with its scientific and cultural value treated as secondary. It vividly shows how ideas of heritage can differ between archaeologists, authorities, and communities. Unlike sites on land, underwater heritage is largely invisible and inaccessible, and many island communities do not relate to the sea as “home” in the same way they do to landscapes. This invisibility makes it harder to build public recognition and protection for maritime heritage
About Suzie Thomas
Professor of Heritage Studies at the University of Antwerp. She is interested in, and teaches a course in the Heritage Studies programme on, Heritage Crime. Most recently she has been researching rural heritage crime, and she has a forthcoming book on this topic in preparation with Bristol University Press.
About Kirstin Ilves
Kirstin Ilves is an Associate Professor of Maritime Archaeology at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She specializes in maritime cultural landscapes and is particularly interested in the construction of island identities through time. In her research, she combines theoretical insights with a strong empirical approach to address problems that have lost some of their complexity through unreflective traditional interpretations. Kristin has extensive fieldwork experience and a keen interest in developing innovative techniques for presenting archaeological sites to both public and professional audiences. Through her teaching and research, she promotes multidisciplinary and inclusive approaches in maritime archaeology.