so hypothetically speaking say i go to one of these archaeology digs and i found a dinosaur bone can i just stuff it in my pocket and walk away while whistling and not looking-so-suspicion can i keep a little bit of what i find?

I went cultural track as an undergrad and immediately regretted it once I had field school. I've often thought of spending a summer in another field school. I loved every minute of it. So, thanks for the link!

Originally posted by Teriq
so hypothetically speaking say i go to one of these archaeology digs and i found a dinosaur bone can i just stuff it in my pocket and walk away while whistling and not looking-so-suspicion can i keep a little bit of what i find?

Well, first off, you do know that palaeontologists, not archaeologists, seek out dinosaurs, right?
Secondly, a little while spent with professionals might well inspire you with enough respect for the practice and its strong ethical base to dissuade you from looting the site.

Student here. I'd like to participate in excavations outside my country so I've been thinking about applying for digs during this summer somewhere in Europe. Idk where exactly because it's hard to find any digs that are not some kind of course or volonteering which in almost every case you have to pay. Excavations done by museums and universities are not that public and there is really no reason for them to be open for everyone. Altough they are many and musems and universities are probably doing most of archeological work. So I doubt I can just apply for any real work on any site as long as I'm student, too bad.

And no, it's not permitted to take any material found during excavation. Unleast wasn't where I was working last summer and summer before that. Every single piece of material is considered important. There wouldn't be much damage done if few pieces were missing, usually it's not a big deal, but still.

Thanks, interesting website. I'll be checking updates until summer and then maybe decide where to go/what to do.

Yeah, I gotta start digging around the yard again, it is pretty fun. The ancient people were pretty artistic in reshaping rocks. They must have worked on these things for a long time, I suppose it's a cheap pastime. I cannot sell these rocks because they belong to the land I live on. I confered with the local Indians and understand they are time capsules. I just haul these things around and show them to people. They don't belong in museums, they were given to the earth.

Originally posted by rickymouse
They don't belong in museums, they were given to the earth.

But they have a story to tell, and in the right environment...such as properly curated in a museum...they are given voice. I am associated with a regional museum, where I have stewardship over the archaeological collection. I use the artifacts to help to tell 21'st century people how they share a land that has been occupied for 10,000 years. I consult with the First Nations so that I do it right, without appropriating their voice. Museums create teachable moments and provide interaction with the past. And that's why it's so important to know the story...the provenance...behind an artifact, so that story can be shared. Indiscriminate collecting and looting removes the context and leaves the story untold.