Archaeologists Say Artifact Looting A Problem In Wyoming

[Badger Bart]

Archaeologists: artifact looting a problem in Wyoming
By The Associated Press

CHEYENNE - Trafficking in illegal antiquities ranks alongside gun and drug trafficking in terms of profitability, and archaeologists say Wyoming's wealth of American Indian and frontier-era artifacts can make the state an antiquities gold mine.

"The thing about illegal activity on archaeological sites is so many of them are in remote, rural locations, it's hard to quantify what goes on out there because you're not out there a lot," said State Archaeologist Mark Miller.

Julie Francis, an archaeologist at the Wyoming Department of Transportation, said collectors provide a market for illegal antiquities and the Internet has worsened the problem.

In Wyoming, the problem includes surface collecting, theft or defacement of rock carvings, and even trade in human remains. Francis said two of her own sites in highway rights of way were looted at night.

Bottles and other artifacts of frontier life are also popular targets, she said.

At Fort Laramie National Historic Site, excavations by assistant state archaeologist Danny Walker in 2003 revealed a large looter hole in the site's historical trash dumps.

Walker said the culprit was likely looking for old bottles and had left behind a plastic-handled garden trowel. The trowel had little rust, leading Walker to suspect that the looting occurred within the previous 10 years.

In 2002, someone dug up World War I-era graves in Gebo, a town occupied from the 1890s to 1970s. Mike Bies, the archaeologist for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Worland Field Office, was worried someone might have been trying to get the skulls, although no bones were removed. Others have suggested that the grave robbers were looking for jewelry or possibly coins placed over the corpses' eyes.

Whatever the case, it was illegal. Collecting on public land is always illegal without a permit. And so is collecting on private land without permission from the landowner.

But collecting isn't entirely off-limits to amateurs. Archaeologists say that recreational collectors have helped the profession enormously.

"Many professional archaeologists got their start collecting arrowheads as kids," Francis said. "And there have been many, many positive relationships between professional archaeologists and avocational groups."

Reports from recreational groups to archaeologists, he said, have led to the discovery of many important sites. "Some people consider them the eyes and ears of the profession because they're out in the field more often than professionals," Miller said.

Professional looters, on the other hand, care only about one thing: profit. They know where the sites are; often they are well educated and may even have taken archaeology classes or volunteered on excavations, Francis said.

They also frequently have histories of alcohol or drug abuse and have been known to collect artifacts to fund their habits. Bies urged anyone who sees suspicious activity on public land not to approach suspected looters.

"In the Southwest, where they've caught looters, they're almost always found in possession of illegal firearms and drugs," Bies said. "So there's a very good chance that these are not the kind of people you want to talk to out in the country."

http://www.billingsgazette.net/artic...42-looting.txt

[jon43]

i don't think looking in a plowed farm should be a crime but digging up graves and taking rock carving is bad

[dg39]

I tend to agree with the looting problem. BUT...I also see a problem on the enforcement side.. 90 percent of recovered relics go into a storage vault. They are not displayed or made available for the public to see and appreciate. AND sometimes artifacts dissapear back into the market for some strange reason. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak..
Its a win, no win situation..

[Sandman]

Archaeologists are aways crying about something, yet they squirrel items away in a storeroom somewhere. Things do disapear and end up on the market. Who's doing the stealing now?

Sandman

[Jeffro]

This story is hilarious! Thanks for sharing- Heres some of my favorites-


"The thing about illegal activity on archaeological sites is so many of them are in remote, rural locations, it's hard to quantify what goes on out there because you're not out there a lot," said State Archaeologist Mark Miller.

If its so doggone important, why aren't they out there alot?


At Fort Laramie National Historic Site, excavations by assistant state archaeologist Danny Walker in 2003 revealed a large looter hole in the site's historical trash dumps.

Walker said the culprit was likely looking for old bottles and had left behind a plastic-handled garden trowel. The trowel had little rust, leading Walker to suspect that the looting occurred within the previous 10 years.


10 years between visits? WOOHOO! That IS one important site for these archies!

Professional looters, on the other hand, care only about one thing: profit. They know where the sites are; often they are well educated and may even have taken archaeology classes or volunteered on excavations, Francis said.

Hmm, interesting. Well educated, taken archie classes, volunteering..... see below

They also frequently have histories of alcohol or drug abuse and have been known to collect artifacts to fund their habits. Bies urged anyone who sees suspicious activity on public land not to approach suspected looters.


Doesn't even sound remotely close to the same people described in the previous sentence!


While I agree that certain sites of historic value should be left alone, I can't agree with archeologists as a whole. EVERYTHING 50 years old and older needs to be protected for historic reasons? I don't think so. save the truly important finds for research and leave the redundant ones for people interested in history who will preserve and display these relics, unlike the archies.

[stoney56]

Nah, they just get mad cause they see the following sign:

[ericwt]

By publicizing this they have just given more looters directions on where to look. Go figure.

ericwt

[jeff of pa]

Professional looters, on the other hand, care only about one thing: profit. They know where the sites are; often they are well educated and may even have taken archaeology classes or volunteered on excavations, Francis said.

Hmm, interesting. Well educated, taken archie classes, volunteering..... see below

"Professional looters, on the other hand, care only about one thing: profit".

This Statement Gets me Right here.
Are they doing it for Free ? because they love Digging as Much as We love detecting ? or are they Expecting a Check at the end of the week ?
Not to mention what they Squirl away & sell on EBay & to Private Collectors.

They also frequently have histories of alcohol or drug abuse and have been known to collect artifacts to fund their habits. Bies urged anyone who sees suspicious activity on public land not to approach suspected looters.


Doesn't even sound remotely close to the same people described in the previous sentence!

"They also frequently have histories of alcohol or drug abuse and have been known to collect artifacts to fund their habits."

another Completly unbelievable Comment.

Besides the Fact, this statement was made for the purpose of Running Relic Hunters Down it makes Little sence.

A Crack addict isn't going to go Relic hunting to Support his Habit.
He's thinking of where he is getting his next Hit.

[warsawdaddy]

50 yrs ago was 1956-3yrs after Korea!Maybe memorabilia,but not artifacts!During the late 30's ,40's,and 50's you never heard the word 'antique'.All they had was 2nd hand stores.An artifact to me has to be something prior to 1650,and that may be too recent.

[buscadero]

I am willing to bet all my multicolored pop tops that every archeologist, National Park Ranger, National Battlefield Ranger, et al, has a "personal" collection at their home or whereever.

[stoney56]

"This Statement Gets me Right here.
Are they doing it for Free ? because they love Digging as Much as We love detecting ? or are they Expecting a Check at the end of the week ?
Not to mention what they Squirl away & sell on EBay & to Private Collectors"

They're upset that they're not always the 1st on the scene to lock it up and apply for the Gov. grants that they apply for, left and right. To get the funds they have to "prove up" the site--kind of like the Land Run. The more sites they "prove up" the more grants. I'm sure they don't have to work dilligently on a site, just a few days in order to keep the funds. Just an opinion I have.

[color=red]another Completly unbelievable Comment.

Besides the Fact, this statement was made for the purpose of Running Relic Hunters Down it makes Little sence.

A Crack addict isn't going to go Relic hunting to Support his Habit.
He's thinking of where he is getting his next Hit.
/color]

A crack addict wants his drugs NOW, he doesn't go out searching for a potential buyer and waiting to make a score. Another opinon

[jeff of pa]

As I suggested.

The Majority of the People in the world Hate & Distrust Drug Addicts.

The Majority of the people in the World Couldn't care less if they Tried,
who Digs & sells Relics.

So If they can Lump us all together, they can add to the List of those Against us

Pure Slander.

Make People Think, they need to go call the cops,
cause there is a Crazed Druggie Digging in the Park.

[Badger Bart]

This is part of the campaign to create laws that will totally stop THers, collectors, and anyone besides themselves from ever picking up anything that looks old, on private property or not. one has to wonder if the goal is to stop trash from being picked up before an state paid archy is called in to say it's OK first. They are winning the battle in the media arena only because they have better resources to generate press releases and PR. Is there a national spokesman for THers? These 'reports' need to be responded to and exposed regularly in order for the hobby to continue at any meaningful level.

This site needs a heading and seperate thread for this subject, something like Looting, Archaeology, or one for each. How about it Marc/Jeff? It is too important for the Everything Else thread.
I recently joined a discussion group that buys, sells, and collects a specific type of ancient artifact, and have been lurking and learning what is all going on there. They have all identified and described themselves as requested by the moderator, and most or all are professional archy's. Talk about hypocrisy.

[ericwt]

I know a treasure hunter who went to an Archaeologist after he found some Spanish armor. Not only did he loose his armor he lost access to the site and was fined several thousand dollars.

Bet the archaeologist got a good laugh about that one and a nice addition to his collection. Best to avoid these people.

ericwt

[jeff of pa]

Best to avoid these people.

ericwt

I agree.

Till They Learn to Give us Respect, They don't Deserve Ours.

[Jeffro]

Agreed. I wish we something like England's laws when it comes to this sort of thing, no need to go undercover when you make a find..... It's a damn shame, being treated like a criminal when you make a find!

[ferrouser]

There was a program on the history channel this past week about
archaeological sites being "looted", and all the people for preserving
things were archaeologists who, all ready got their "loot." And their goodies
are protected. As it turns out the international law dealing with returning
artifacts {legally purchased and documented} was ratified in 1972, and enforced
by UNESCO and are forcibly returned. So if you have acquired a great treasure like
the Rosetta-Stone, or a Frieze like those from the Parthenon, before 1972-
you can't be touched. It comes as no surprise that
all of the greatest looters were/are archaeologists.
Funny how we lose many hundreds of acres of Civil War battlefields every
year to developers, but that's all right. {DON'T YOU DARE DIG A HOLE HERE,
YOU ARE DESTROYING THIS SACRED GROUND!} But you bend down and pick up
a minie ball on a Park, and you face several years in prison.
Do NOT donate any finds to a CW Park-these things become declared
"surplus", or are just outright stolen by Park employees, and end up
for sale at Civil War Shows. [Bet a $1 to a donut hole if someone searched
various Park Employees residences, they would find boxes of relics-of course
officially, they were not found on the Park.]

[Badger Bart]

True or not, and I'm not saying what you say isn't true, what can be done about this? I don't see a law similar to Greta Britain's law on finds being done properly here. Most of all because the lawmakers cannot be trusted to do it properly without some sort land, money, or power grab as part of the deal. What are the federal laws governing archaeologists, anyone know? If they are in violation of the laws, they should be held accountable. If the law is too broad it needs to be fixed. I hate proposing new or expanding existing laws, there are way too many already, but it seems the only option at that point.

[diggemall]

The problem is that those who have the gubernment behind them hate to see anyone else doing what they do.

We had a family (Wife and her mom and dad) shot to death execution style, in their campers, by wifes soon-to-be ex. Mom had the local sherriffs department ON THE PHONE while the ex-2-be was shooting into the camper from outside. Dad had a loaded shotgun IN HIS HANDS inside the camper and was told by the cops on the phone NOT TO RETURN FIRE !!!!!!! Like a good, law-abiding citizen (and a fool) he listened, and died for it. (Hubby is now serving three consecutive life sentences) Law enforcement are the only ones that are supposed to use deadly force. Don't you DARE do "their" job!!!

Same applies to archies - God forbid you or I should pick up the 2 millionth arrowhead and keep them from squirrelling it away in their vaults, never again to see the light of day.

As far as I am concerned, if it's on my land, it is MINE. If it's on your land, it is YOURS, and either of us can let somebody else poke around if we so choose.

Diggem'

[GreenMeanie]

I can tell you one thing. Near my house they did a dig on GOV't property and left the place a mess! Broken bottles everywhere and a big hole. This event happened around 1999 and I could take a PIC of it and it still looks like crap!

And I don't agree with the England law statement. They can keep their laws there.