水下文化遗产权利归属争议的分析及启示——以泰坦尼克号案为视角

Analysis and Inspiration on Right Ownership of Underwater Cultural Heritage: Based on Titanic Case

长期以来,无论是理论界还是在实务中,对水下文化遗产的法律保护都没有受到应有的重视。作为第一艘存在于国际水域中的大型船舶残骸,泰坦尼克号备受关注,亦引发了国际社会对水下文化遗产保护的诸多关注。对泰坦尼克号案的审理和判决过程当中包含的对法院管辖权和法律适用等法律问题的深入讨论,既体现了该案的特殊性及其对水下文化遗产保护的影响,也展现了美国联邦打捞救助法与考古价值追求之间的不断冲突和调和。通过以泰坦尼克号案为视角,深入探讨该案中法院管辖权和法律适用等问题,并着重分析法院在判决时对诸多相关因素之权衡的经验,以期对我国应对具有重要历史文化意义的沉没财产以及恰当地对其进行保护和管理、如何兼顾并权衡诸方面的利益诉求等问题提供借鉴意义。

Legal protection on underwater cultural heritage has not been paid much attention to for a long time either in theory or in practice.As the first large-scale shipwrecked vessel resting in deep international water,Titanic has been brought into sharp focus and followed with much interest on UCH in international society.The whole process of trial on Titanic Case and its judgment reveals much in-deep exploration on judicial jurisdiction and application of law,which on the one hand reflects the special nature of the case as well as its influence on UCH,and on the other hand,it reveals the continuous conflict and gradual coordination between Salvage Law of US and the pursuing of archaeological value.Based on Titanic Case,this paper deeply explores the legal issues including judicial jurisdiction,applicable law,and the elements the court considered in making the judgement,for providing reference to dealing with and better protection of valuable sunken property disputes,as well as balance of different interest among parties.