TIRANA: Researchers are urging Albanian authorities to build a museum to display hundreds of Roman and Greek artefacts and ancient shipwrecks that are sitting under Albania’s least explored coastline.

Archaeologists at the Albanian Underwater Archaeology conference warned on Tuesday that the wealth of underwater artefacts in the country’s southwestern seabed, near the border with Greece, could easily fall prey of looters or treasure hunters.

James Goold, chairman of the Florida-based RPM Nautical Foundation, said the objects dating from eighth century BC to the two World Wars would be a great tourist attraction if properly displayed.

Albania is trying to protect and capitalise on its rich underwater heritage, long neglected by a former communist regime offering little financial and other support. Its preservation still receives scarce funding from the government.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2018