Another Black Eye for Detectorists?

[ScubaDetector]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...20569e-ff1a-11e5-8bb1-f124a43f84dc_story.html


I never watch TV, so I have no idea what they are complaining about. Just thought someone might find an interesting read.

 

[dirtscratcher]

Those guys weren't just detecting. They were used heavy eqipment.

 

[Keppy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...20569e-ff1a-11e5-8bb1-f124a43f84dc_story.html


I never watch TV, so I have no idea what they are complaining about. Just thought someone might find an interesting read.

I never watch those boring dumb metal detecting shows either.. on TV or Youtube.. But they all do hurt our image..

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Shouldn't be a black eye for anyone. They were there legally and had permission to dig. The homeowners are whining now because some archaeologist is mad he couldn't check out the site first and is stirring the pot.

The comments made by the archie are melodramatic, to say the least. All they found were broken plates, buttons and coins from the 1800's. I find stuff like that almost every week! I guess I'm trashing historical sites every time I dig! LOL!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

scuba, I agree with freebird Tim. And I put very little stock into what some archies whine about. Because if it were up t some of the more purist archies, they would dis-allow ALL metal detecting everywhere. Heaven forbid you might "rip pages from history" if you (gasp) found a buffalo nickel on the beach or someone's yard.

 

[ScubaDetector]

scuba, I agree with freebird Tim. And I put very little stock into what some archies whine about. Because if it were up t some of the more purist archies, they would dis-allow ALL metal detecting everywhere. Heaven forbid you might "rip pages from history" if you (gasp) found a buffalo nickel on the beach or someone's yard.

I probably would agree. Since I have never seen it or heard of it I just posted the news as it was written. That is why the question mark after the title. Sounds like the archies just love to complain. EVERY shipwreck in the great lakes is protected. However the zebra mussels and the quagga mussels are destroying them anyway. There won't be much left of any wooden vessel and heaven forbid a diver take a piece of wood off one. JAIL.

I just wanted to hear input on what people thought since I have never seen the show.

 

[T.C.]

I watched a couple of the shows....it got boring fast. All the two or three teams did was fight and argue with each other.....meh

 

[DonDigger]

What would the probability of a "formal" archeological dig on that plantation have been in the first place? Archeology is an expensive enterprise and before a university or museum will commit funding for a dig they really have to believe something really historical or of social significance occurred on the property. With the minimum number of finds made by the "TV treasure hunters" its doubtful that anything was there of significance to begin with. Why would they complain about what happens on private property that they would never excavate anyway? Do they complain every time a farmer deep plows a field? He is disturbing the ground many times more than a detectorist with a small shovel. Just my 2 cents.

Don

 

[jeff of pa]

Black Eye for archies imo.

if the Archies Really cared about that Property,
why didn't they reach in their Pockets & Offer to Pay to dig on the Land ?

the archies want to be paid a salary to sit in Tents while college students dig & bring them
things they can store away in Boxes till they need to sell some on a rainy day.

No I don't have respect for Archies who don't like Relic hunting enough to
fill their gas tank and get out there digging themselves.

some relics in a box along with a paper only other archies are allowed to see
and read isn't worth crap imo

 

[Jason in Enid]

Nothing but typical archies crying because somebody did something legally. Where is their outcry when a shopping mall is built over a battle site? Nooooo, all they care about is something might keep something they were going to slip into their own pocket anyway.

 

[ScubaDetector]

I enjoyed the valid points on this thread. Especially the fact they got permission and now the archies are crying foul. ALL they want is to get paid while they sit back and have college kids do the work. They are too cheap to do something for nothing.

Thanks all for the elightenment. Maybe the networks need an archie show? Ohh I think they had one. All in the Family? All he did was sit around and complain.

 

[kray]

They may have had permission but Larry Cisna and his crew used a backhoe to dig up an ice house and slave quarters. There's some info on FB about it. Larry has done some harmful things in his digging career.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

What would the probability of a "formal" archeological dig on that plantation have been in the first place? Archeology is an expensive enterprise and before a university or museum will commit funding for a dig they really have to believe something really historical or of social significance occurred on the property.....

.... if the Archies Really cared about that Property, why didn't they reach in their Pockets & Offer to Pay to dig on the Land ? ...

Don & Jeff,
You guys make this much-too-easy. Aren't you aware of the pat come-back lines the archies would use to what you're saying ?

Your lament goes like this: It's unreasonable and impossible to assume that EVEN THE MOST WELL-FUNDED AGGRESSIVE UNIVERSITY archaeology dept's would ever be able to exhaust the available targets in a field of any size. I mean, duh, they do little 6 x 6 , or 10 x 10 pits, that take a week, while meticulously sifting everything with tweezers. Right ? So it would take them thousands of years non-stop to do a single national park, or foot-ball field sized spot. So what are they whining about, right ?

But this will fall on deaf-ears. Because their pat-come-back line is this: That maybe there won't be funding or time to dig in that exact spot NOW. But how do you know, that in 1000 yrs. from now, that a future archie might not sink a pit in that exact spot ?? YOU DON'T . Just like the pyramids of Egypt: They dig miles upstream or downstream from the actual pyramids, into worker-village sites, today, that reveal a ton of cool info on the lives of every-day workers that built the pyramids.

Hence you can never say for certain, that any one individual item you "rip from history", wouldn't be useful to future generations. SHAME ON EACH OF YOU! haha

 

[Jason in Enid]

This is why I hunt modern parks. If an Archealogist tells me I'm ruining the future of Archeology, I'm going to throw a hissy fit that they should be doing a better job of documenting what is happening during THEIR lifetime, so they don't HAVE to dig up what's in the ground 3 generations from now to take a guess.

Besides that... the landfill would be more interesting anyhow.

That's just the thing though, there is almost no real new information coming from archaeology digs. They are digging time periods that are already well documented. It's nothing more than wanting to be paid to to dig stuff up.

 

[jeff of pa]

That's just the thing though, there is almost no real new information coming from archaeology digs. They are digging time periods that are already well documented. It's nothing more than wanting to be paid to to dig stuff up.

and as I said. At least here when they decide to do a "Dig"

they contact the local Colleges & advertise in the papers for anyone who wishes to join the dig to show up.
all the Archies do is supervise & they are to be called over for anything interesting,
so they can be the ones to handle & inspect finds.

I doubt you'll find many College taught Archies with dirt under their fingernails. but they will cash the checks, and take the relics

 

[Icewing]

Anchiologists are nothing more than treasure hunters with student loans to repay.

 

[jeff of pa]

Anchiologists are nothing more than treasure hunters with student loans to repay.

almost.

real Treasure Hunters are at Least Honest about what they are after...


"Getting Richer then all get out"

 

[Icewing]

Some day I'm going to burry a cache of crusty zincs just to jack with people after I'm long gone.