How Do Archeologists Know Where to Dig? video

[NCPeaches]

Admins please move or remove if this is the wrong place to post, thanks! This video was shared on the Facebook group I follow called "The Exploring Joara Foundation...unearthing the forgotten past" who are local to my area and I thought it would be good info for some of us so I'm sharing it with the forum, but the archeologists in the video are in Nebraska. HH

 

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[smokeythecat]

They follow me around.

 

[sandchip]

They follow me around.

You ain't joking. Probably 90% of all known sites were discovered by collectors, many of whom notified archaeologists of their finds. Ironically, modern day archs actively lobby against collectors. Gotta love the gratitude.

 

[scotto]

You ain't joking. Probably 90% of all known sites were discovered by collectors, many of whom notified archaeologists of their finds. Ironically, modern day archs actively lobby against collectors. Gotta love the gratitude.

If it weren't for the grants coming from wealthy business owners, archaeologists wouldn't get most of their digs funded. A lot of these business owners grew up hunting artifacts with their dads, and they shared the info with the archies back in their day.

What about today's kids? A lot of their dads are telling them to keep their mouths shut, as the archies of today aren't their friends, and they are trying to destroy their hobby.

If any of today's kids grow up to be wealthy business owners, do you think they will finance ANY digs for the archies? Nope.

Today's archies are destroying their own future due to ignorance and greed. A vast amount of information is lost in this day and age, when people find sites and keep their mouths shut. Recently-discovered artifacts go quietly into private collections, and we all lose.

Of course there are some bad collectors out there, but we have this problem in any hobby and every facet of life. But when today's archies label ALL collectors as "grave robbers," "looters," or "pot hunters," they have just insulted 100% of the people that pay to go to museums to see their work and possibly fund their digs.

Since we can't seem to stop people from driving drunk, should we ban all sober drivers? That's the same type of logic the archies of today use.

 

[NCPeaches]

Well I am certainly more enlightened now lol. As for my "site" I take my finds to the local archies and the main one was interested and wanted to know the location and we emailed back and forth some, me sending him a google map of my spot. He told me he would like to see it but it's too expensive to test it and I'm glad he said that because I wouldn't offer that anyway. Liked my finds, a couple he doesn't have in their collection but he didn't try to keep them, just told me I had something rare in my back yard. They will take anything off your hands you don't want though for their learning lab. So maybe they are different in this area and I'm glad they are from what I've read in the comments.

 

[sandchip]

If it weren't for the grants coming from wealthy business owners, archaeologists wouldn't get most of their digs funded. A lot of these business owners grew up hunting artifacts with their dads, and they shared the info with the archies back in their day.

What about today's kids? A lot of their dads are telling them to keep their mouths shut, as the archies of today aren't their friends, and they are trying to destroy their hobby.

If any of today's kids grow up to be wealthy business owners, do you think they will finance ANY digs for the archies? Nope.

Today's archies are destroying their own future due to ignorance and greed. A vast amount of information is lost in this day and age, when people find sites and keep their mouths shut. Recently-discovered artifacts go quietly into private collections, and we all lose.

Of course there are some bad collectors out there, but we have this problem in any hobby and every facet of life. But when today's archies label ALL collectors as "grave robbers," "looters," or "pot hunters," they have just insulted 100% of the people that pay to go to museums to see their work and possibly fund their digs.

Since we can't seem to stop people from driving drunk, should we ban all sober drivers? That's the same type of logic the archies of today use.

A big 'ol amen, Scotto!

 

[catherine1]

I already know where to dig....its called homework. The property next to my farm is owned by the Archeological society and its a secret...….

 

[ptsofnc]

I've invited several archeologists to sites on my property in the last 5 years or so. They were appreciative, but declined. I was told recently by a well known arch. that many invites end up being "wild goose chases". The ones I correspond with seem friendly enough...I give them the benefit of the doubt. But I'm sure others might have a different experience. What really makes me sad is that I'm CERTAIN that dozens of sites in NC are being destroyed weekly through new mindless construction and sprawl.

 

[sandchip]

I've invited several archeologists to sites on my property in the last 5 years or so. They were appreciative, but declined. I was told recently by a well known arch. that many invites end up being "wild goose chases". The ones I correspond with seem friendly enough...I give them the benefit of the doubt. But I'm sure others might have a different experience. What really makes me sad is that I'm CERTAIN that dozens of sites in NC are being destroyed weekly through new mindless construction and sprawl.

Offer them 50K, and they'll change their tune.

 

[ToddsPoint]

When I dug sites with Mike Gramly he figured out where to dig by doing a shovel test. Dig random holes until you determine where the site is. Make a grid and dig 1 meter squares. Gary

 

[scotto]

When I dug sites with Mike Gramly

Mike Gramly is a 4-letter word.

 

[Philvis]

If it weren't for the grants coming from wealthy business owners, archaeologists wouldn't get most of their digs funded. A lot of these business owners grew up hunting artifacts with their dads, and they shared the info with the archies back in their day.

What about today's kids? A lot of their dads are telling them to keep their mouths shut, as the archies of today aren't their friends, and they are trying to destroy their hobby.

If any of today's kids grow up to be wealthy business owners, do you think they will finance ANY digs for the archies? Nope.

Today's archies are destroying their own future due to ignorance and greed. A vast amount of information is lost in this day and age, when people find sites and keep their mouths shut. Recently-discovered artifacts go quietly into private collections, and we all lose.

Of course there are some bad collectors out there, but we have this problem in any hobby and every facet of life. But when today's archies label ALL collectors as "grave robbers," "looters," or "pot hunters," they have just insulted 100% of the people that pay to go to museums to see their work and possibly fund their digs.

Since we can't seem to stop people from driving drunk, should we ban all sober drivers? That's the same type of logic the archies of today use.

The vast majority of archaeology is done as a required precautionary part of a road building/widening, pipeline, or development that occurs on state or federal lands. That's Cultural Resource Management (CRM) archaeology companies that conduct those Phase I through III investigations/explorations. It's funded by the people doing the widening and building. The small sliver of archaeology done otherwise is academic archaeology. Those may have private funding from a corporation or grants that keep them afloat. Often times they are college credit based classes, so the student archaeologists are essentially paying for those excavations. I don't have exact figures, but I'm guessing 80% of archaeology is done via CRM firms. The rest is academic or even more rare, private funded digs. Even so, a college is usually involved with those. And with academic archaeology, a good chunk is just landowners letting the local school conduct excavations on their property.

My old college's archaeology program has been working in one state park for 20 years. The local power company, as part of them being able to set up shop in that area over 20 years ago, agreed to sponsor various local things. The archaeology at the park was one such grant. Alumni contribute heavily to that archaeology program as well.

As far as the archaeologists labeling people as grave robbers, looters, pot hunters, etc., that does happen. I've worked at sites where people would have to camp out on site, because once it became known in the public that we were finding 'good' artifacts, we would have the occasional pot hunter/grave robber try to sneak onto the site once it gets dark. With intact 1000 year-old burials that have grave goods, not a good thing. As with anything, it's definitely a fraction of a percent of people doing things illegally, but because of that, there is a natural distrust. I'm not saying it's right, because I always had the attitude of making friends with your local enthusiasts because they are the ones that know where the best sites are to begin with. Again, not saying it's right, but archaeologists do for the most part feel they are the protectors of history and everything in the ground. That is why you often have that uneasiness with them.

There definitely needs to be better relationships between archaeologists and hobbyists. I don't agree with your funding argument, but I do think if people get a bad taste in their mouth with archaeologists, they may be less likely to share information with them about things they find on their land, etc.

 

[ToddsPoint]

Mike Gramly is a 4-letter word.

Gramly gets more done in a year than most arkies do in their whole career. The four letter word to best describe Gramly is WORK. Gary

 

[scotto]

Gramly gets more done in a year than most arkies do in their whole career. The four letter word to best describe Gramly is WORK. Gary

Well, he is a piece of work. I guess you just aren't aware of some things. Enough said.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Thanks for the video! Simple and informative - really, it's what we do...!