The first is technology. Even aside from China, the history of underwater archaeology is not long in any country. In 1930, the invention of the diving mask marked a significant step forward for man’s exploration of the oceans. After World War II, the aqualung, invented by a French man, solved the problem of breathing underwater, which freed the archaeologists from their dependence on professional divers. Nevertheless, since underwater archaeology needs archaeologists to dive into the sea, the pressure of the sea water is a test to archaeologists’ bodies and diving skills.
The second is the cost. Underwater archaeology requires costly diving equipment, which relates to archaeologists’ lives. A diving suit usually costs thousands of Yuan (RMB) or even tens of thousands of Yuan, and ordinary sonar equipment is worth 2 million Yuan. Even a light used for deep-sea exploration costs nearly ten thousand Yuan. What’s more, the expenses for the maintenances of vessels and equipment as well as for the salvages are astonishing high.
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