Archaeologists Protest 'Glamorization' of Looting on TV

Archaeologists are mounting a campaign against two new cable TV shows that they say encourage and glamorize looting of American archaeological sites. On 20 March, Spike TV will premiere a new show called American Digger, while a show called Diggers on the National Geographic Channel made its debut 28 February. Both shows "promote and glorify the looting and destruction of archaeological sites," Society for American Archaeology (SAA) President William F. Limp wrote in a message posted earlier this week to the SAA listserv. news.sciencemag.org...

An interesting debate is making the rounds in archaeological circles, about the popularisation of looting sites being presented on TV. I understand the Nat Geo will be dropping their series after one contracted episode, and will broadcast disclaimers about looting along with the show. In my province of Ontario, we have the Ontario Heritage Act which tries to discourage looting by making it unlawful. This really is part of a larger debate about 'who owns the past', and I'm certain there will be a lot of notions about what the government can and cannot 'make me do'.

Just the same, greed and ignorance get in the way of attempts to glean information from archaeological sites as I have often mentioned. I received (for accession) a paleo point and a mammoth tooth in the same box of rocks, with only a vague notion of where they came from. Consider what might have been learned if they had been excavated in direct association.


www.cracked.com...
I look forward to the discussion...

Yes my students use to bring me things out of context too. Very frustrating to get several pieces of Harappan pottery mixed with ceramic from Dilmun and being told they found it in the desert, 'out there' somewhere

grrrrrh

Finders keepers, suckers! You fools are just jealous your didn't find it first. I hate people who think they have more rights to buried loot as to the every day man just because they have a few years of public education under their pink, fur trimmed belt.

I have tons of arrow heads and other various "artifacts" I "looted" over the years. And what helps me sleep at night is knowing, somewhere out there, people like this are feeling bad for themselves for not finding them first.
Bunch of pansies.

reply to post by KJV1611

I like to think (as you probably do, too) that your moral values are founded on that book in your avatar.

Doesn't say much for the book, does it?

Nor much for you, either.

You have just confessed to being a looter and a vandal.

reply to post by Astyanax


Show me one place in that Holy Bible where I stole from anyone or looted from anyone kid. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Oh my, this is almost too much The nerve of applying morality to hunting for arrowheads in fields as well as pottery and various cool beads I have LOOTED from the long dead redskins. May God strike my looting soul down next time I go artifact pillaging! LOL

You stuffed shirt knuckle heads are educated out of your common sense. Educated into being stupid. Maybe I should pray over the artifacts I have looted asking the "great spirit" not to attack me...MAHWAHAHAHA!!!!!!

reply to post by Hanslune

Yes my students use to bring me things out of context too. Very frustrating to get several pieces of Harappan pottery mixed with ceramic from Dilmun and being told they found it in the desert, 'out there' somewhere

MUAHWAHAHAhahaha!!!!!

Don't you just hate it when your stupid, redneck, ignorant STUDENTS make the grave error of bringing you in artifacts they would like you , their "teacher" to help them identify? Hypocrite.

What's the matter bud? You need the surrounding elements and area in which the artifact was found in order to determine what, where, and whom if came by? Not good enough just to look at the artifact itself? Maybe run a little carbon 12-14 test on that non-organic rock?

Why not just say, "I don't know kid" is that to hard?

reply to post by JohnnyCanuck

I'm certain there will be a lot of notions about what the government can and cannot 'make me do'.

Isn't government the biggest looter? In addition, just imagine how many artifacts have been destroyed to make way for shopping malls, buildings, roads etc.

As far as the tv show and similar ones I have seen, I do see an Indiana Jones type of attitude. The individuals are usually careless in the dig. Seems the point of the dig is financial and not historical. Sad, but can you blame them? Money is our God.

Originally posted by KJV1611
Don't you just hate it when your stupid, redneck, ignorant STUDENTS make the grave error of bringing you in artifacts they would like you , their "teacher" to help them identify? Hypocrite.
What's the matter bud? You need the surrounding elements and area in which the artifact was found in order to determine what, where, and whom if came by? Not good enough just to look at the artifact itself? Maybe run a little carbon 12-14 test on that non-organic rock?

Why not just say, "I don't know kid" is that to hard?

Anyone, with a little practice, can identify 'what' an artifact is. Archaeologists deal with the issue of 'why'. A box full of pretty rocks speaks to inquisitive ignorance at best, and avaricious acquisitiveness at worst. The context in which an artifact is found tells most of the story. Strip it of that and you aren't left with much.

Don't assume that I'm trying to debate you on the subject, I'm just providing a little detail for those on the fence.

Oh, and you run the testing on the associated organics...the stuff you leave behind.

Originally posted by jam321
Isn't government the biggest looter? In addition, just imagine how many artifacts have been destroyed to make way for shopping malls, buildings, roads etc.

Up here, if an area is deemed to have archaeological potential, a new development triggers a process in the municipal planning phase and testing is required of the proponent. It's not foolproof, but at very least archaeological resources can be removed in a controlled fashion that is recorded for future study.

Originally posted by KJV1611
Finders keepers, suckers! You fools are just jealous your didn't find it first.

I hate people who think they have more rights to buried loot as to the every day man just because they have a few years of public education under their pink, fur trimmed belt.

I have tons of arrow heads and other various "artifacts" I "looted" over the years. And what helps me sleep at night is knowing, somewhere out there, people like this are feeling bad for themselves for not finding them first.
Bunch of pansies.

How sad that you rejoice in destroying a people's legacy and knowledge about them....tsk tsk

Originally posted by jam321

Isn't government the biggest looter? In addition, just imagine how many artifacts have been destroyed to make way for shopping malls, buildings, roads etc.

As far as the tv show and similar ones I have seen, I do see an Indiana Jones type of attitude. The individuals are usually careless in the dig. Seems the point of the dig is financial and not historical. Sad, but can you blame them? Money is our God.

Rescue archaeology is usually done in most western countries. Looters have destroyed over 70% of the archaeological heritages in a number of countries

Originally posted by KJV1611

Don't you just hate it when your stupid, redneck, ignorant STUDENTS make the grave error of bringing you in artifacts they would like you , their "teacher" to help them identify? Hypocrite.

Ah those pottery types are from 4000 years ago and are found in the Middle East, to bad you didn't know that, the students were Arabs by the way

What's the matter bud? You need the surrounding elements and area in which the artifact was found in order to determine what, where, and whom if came by? Not good enough just to look at the artifact itself? Maybe run a little carbon 12-14 test on that non-organic rock?

No in context the pottery is very valuable as they often point to an important site. That type of pottery together would also indicate trade, out of context they are just pottery, you can date them but little else. You don't even seem to know you can date pottery, sad to see such ignorance displayed by you. Especially someone who pretends to be a Christian. Old JC would be shaking his head over your remarks, lol

Why not just say, "I don't know kid" is that to hard?

Because I do know, and unlike you I appreciate the past and am sadden when knowledge is lost

Sometimes, I've happened upon artifacts while prospecting. I generally leave them where they are, often undisturbed. Despite my lack of spirituality, there is definitely some type of spiritual sensation I experience while observing the remains of our past.

reply to post by tamusan


I know exactly how you feel. I have a pottery sherd in my hand now that I picked up from a surface find off a pile of disturbed land. It is known as Red Polish III and comes from Kalavassos and was probably made 4,000 years ago but a potter, probably a woman, how it came to be in pieces near the site ot Tenta will never be known.

reply to post by Hanslune


Mahwuahaha!! Cry me a river bud, go lay your guilt trip on digging up artifacts on your stupid gullible students are are dumb enough to pay money for such fraudulent classes. How in the world can you connect morals and the Bible to collecting artifacts?

You really are in your own little world huh? You would probably shed a tear if I posted some pictures of all the finds I have obtained And I thank my God for everyone of them MWahahuahaha!!!

reply to post by KJV1611

Show me one place in that Holy Bible where I stole from anyone or looted from anyone kid. Go ahead, I'll wait... You stuffed shirt knuckle heads are educated out of your common sense. Educated into being stupid.

At least we understand English. It is evident from your response that you don't, since you completely failed to grasp the point of my post.

________________________

Seems that only the big box stores and corporations
have rights to land these days
The Oka Indian stand off comes to mind.
________________________