Archeology Needs Metal Detecting Experts

[ivan salis]

its the old fashioned --divide and conquer mindset --break the enemy into little sub groups and wipe them out one by one --a minnow can eat a whale bit by bit if he doesn't notice hes being bitten by the minnow

archie's attack slowly -- first they gain "legal" oversight and control of all "publicly owned" lands inch by inch -- once they are in "legal control / oversight " of an area --they then use administrational land use rule changes * where they and they alone set the "rules" of what can and can not be done on a bit of land "they" oversee . -- no metal detecting , no arrowhead collecting , no old bottle hunting and so on -- often the terms used are as follows --- "no excavating (digging) or removing of ANY ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE *"--- thus anything over 50 years old can not be legally removed even if found as a "surface find" and of course since no "digging" is allowed -- that stops metal detecting as we know to get to the item one must dig it up someway -- it also stops old bottle finding from old trash pits and privys as well --no digging

 

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[ouachitacaveman]

Obviously, the video has been taken
at a historic site, and thus designated a protected area by the govt. and their laws.
The govt. - then - will have archaeologists, ( with help from volunteers ) to
survey the area if they , the govt. chooses. Please folks, bear in mind, these
" historic " sites are owned by the govt. who has chosen to preserve the area, not
the archaeologists that work for them. The governments are the ones in " control ".
I have no problem metal detecting on private lands, archaeologists are not competing
with me there, and they have no say in what I find there and take home. If I find a
cache of gold coins at an old home-place on private land, it is between me and the landowner, not the govt. Likewise, I would NOT spread the news to cause a stir, either. The archaeologists are just doing
their job for the govt. on that govt. land, and I do my hobby on private land.

What is the problem with that ?

If it's a historic site, let the " archies " have it, and I'll
go hunt in private, elsewhere, and thus - keep - what I find. I don't want to hunt a historic site
anyway. That is a special area that I, too, want to see preserved. I don't want treasure from a historic site.
Working with archaeologists on protected and historic sites can be rewarding, and just
because it's volunteer work doesn't mean you're being cheated. It's an opportunity to help
locate and preserve something from a special , protected site and you'll feel good helping out .
The " archies " are more
interested in preserving information than trying to take away your metal-related finds in parks and old settlements.
Most archaeologists deal with pre-historic stuff anyhow - except for battle-field relics which are
usually off-limits in most cases. Personally, I would rather find old bottles somewhere than old bullets.

 

[Twisted One]

I think there are locations of historical interest, and there are places that are historical, but of no interest to the archaeologist, at least not enough interest for them to be funded.
The archaeologist at least the few I have had discussions with the last week about this topic, feel that anything historic should be left where it is, so that it can be recovered with it "context" intact.
If you lay out all of the terms that the archaeologist lay down as historical interest, and should be preserved, it would include all land masses.
It is doubtful that there is one square inch on this planet that something, or someone has not touched it. This is not an exaggeration, if you read all of their recent activity online you will see those exact words.
If that is the case most of us do not illegally recover items, but in their opinion we do so unethically, and we are in the wrong. So if you are digging a new garden in your backyard and uncover a 1900's item, they expect you to rebury it and stop digging. If you don't you are being unethical, and robbing the people of their history.

There is a common ground to be found between the average archaeologist, and the average hobbyist, there however will never be a common ground between the extremist on either side.

 

[ouachitacaveman]

.. well, I can tell you this :

I'm all about archaeology and preservation, but if I'm digging in my garden and find
something from the civil war or from Desoto's army coming
into this area, I will record the spot and depth, and any other related info., and

KEEP

what I find, unless I choose to donate said artifacts.
My garden is on my private land, and unless
it's a grave-site, what I find on MY land, will belong to me, plain & simple.
Anything grave-related would be relegated to the proper authorities in honor of my native-Americans
or ancestors.

 

[bigscoop]

ouachitacaveman,
I'm sure you're familiar with all of your states laws (I'm not), however, in many states the removing of even an old bottle could earn you as much as federal rap. Some of the people who are responding to this topic are in these other states that have these type of laws in place so it's very understandable why they have gotten that bad taste in their mouth. Problem is, these laws seem to be spreading, and in some cases this can even include private lands. Never forget that you may hold title/deed to the land, but what lays on or under that land can still belong to the state or feds. Truth is, every time we go metal detecting and keep what we find the odds are in favor that we have broken one or more laws. Don't know the laws in your listed state, but the above is true in most others, and this trend is quickly spreading. Are these laws directed at recreational metal detecting/prospecting/etc? Yes & no & maybe & maybe not. But the issue is that many of these laws are being written so vaguely that they could easily be applied to any of these activities and on just about any lands if the powers-to-be were to choose to do it. This is the rising issue/threat.

 

[Twisted One]

Tonight at 9pm East coast, 6pm West coast, on the Relic Roundup they will be talking to the Task Force for Metal Detecting rights. Might be worth jumping over there to hear what they have to say. Think we should all tune in to show some numbers.

http://relicroundup.blogspot.com/

 

[ivan salis]

its a empowerment thing --once archies get legal "total control" of a area by being legally 'appointed" as the "lead group" over the land -- as the legally empowered " lead group" over all public lands within a state , they have the right to set up "land use rules" * what will or will not "occur" upon these lands, ( thus telling the public what they can or can not do while on these "public" lands *) -- its a well known fact that as a general group --95% or better of archies hate any type of treasure hunter , bottle digger, arrowhead collector , and MD er with a deep seated passion and veiw them asc "looters' to be stopped by any means possible -- if given the legal "power" to do so on all public lands , do you really think they will not use it? -- if so then you better think again --they must not be given this "absolute power" -- as the saying goes --power corrupts , absolute power , corrupts absolutly .

 

[bigscoop]

I'm of the mind that there's still time to mount an effective defense against these progressive laws, but again, it can only be done with a large solidarity of membership numbers and the support of those effected businesses, and of course, a pile of money. But the window of opportunity is growing smaller and smaller with each passing day so if something isn't formed soon the battle will certainly be lost forever. Somewhere out there someone has the knowledge and contacts to give birth to this last hope. The best most of us we can do is to hope that they take action in an effort to make it happen.

 

[Twisted One]

then join detectingrights.com. The Task Force for Metal Detecting rights is all about trying to get the numbers together for fighting these laws.