MD = Looting

pippinwhitepaws · Jan 3, 2009

don quixote...
fifty years does seem arbitrary...until you consider most people's attention span is 12 minutes.
if i go back and dig up the box i buried in scottsdale when i was ten, i am breaking the antiquities laws?

i know a few historians and anthropologists, this includes archaeologists...i have seen a few treasures, outside their office...some of the pieces are recovered from markets and have no provenience...others like dr. carter, of king tut fame was accused, have a tendency to keep a "trophy" of the dig.

the main difference between treasure hunters and academia, is transparency...academics are required to share knowledge and recovered relics, document the find...they may drag their feet, but in the end, knowledge is shared.

also, within the academic fields, there is a new thought, that no digging should occur...that the advent of technology is increasing at such a rate, all digs should stop, awaiting the tools to allow examination without disturbing the site.

digging up items leads to damaging the object.

anyway....have a great new year everyone

rmptr · Jan 3, 2009

Ha! Ha!

That's the prob with academia, Pwp.

They keep thinkin'.

I knows what works!

...So that's the retirement plan?
Go dig up somethin' you buried 50yrs ago to get yourself a clean, dry room, 3 squares a day, and medical care if needed?

Ha! My buddy always joked he'd slip on the courthouse steps if they messed with him...

MOF, he was the one who loaned me first MD I ever used. A Fisher lunchbox style.
Might have been a 550, but I can't recall any more.
Not much got past it. It drove me crazy with deep rusty bits...
Did me no good at all prospecting on my claims.

Best
rmptr

Lowbatts · Jan 3, 2009

Thanks BB,
Knowing I read the article referenced to in the original post on this topic I was kind of thinking the same.

BTW, ground troops and armor are there now. Once again demonstrating the value of wasting time arguing over this subject matter. Whatever value those items in the ground had is again being reduced to crumbled/bent and burnt bits and pieces of protected junk.

pippinwhitepaws · Jan 3, 2009

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list

notice gaza did not make the list?

Lowbatts · Jan 3, 2009

Yet that article featured a lot about Gaza and the people looting there. Had a map of hot spots in the territory that needed immediate protection. I think protection from something other than looters in more critical.

NGE · Jan 3, 2009

If the U.s. Gov't would pass something like the treasure trove act that they have in the U.K., then there would be no more problems. They would give you fair market value if it were declared "Treasure" then you would split with the landowner. However, if it were insignificant, then you would be allowed to do what you want to do with the item or items. The ar-keelhaul-ogists would be "one" with the detectorists.........And then there would be world peace, as we know it.............NGE

aa battery · Jan 3, 2009

i ain't read all of dis here post but i bet i am the only convicted looter here 8)

Lowbatts · Jan 4, 2009

Why would the US pass a UK-like law that allows people to keep what they find under most circumstances and rewards people even for those things they cannot keep?

Criminal pursuits equal income to government coffers. you do the digging, thetime and pay thebill, UncleSam decides who gets the goods. Remember this country was founded to support two classes of people, those with pedigrees and those without. My bad, that's just the way it's turning out.

shanegalang · Jan 4, 2009

Looting is when a major hurricane hits New Orleans and people break into stores to get TVs and tennis shoes. Finding a coin someone dropped 30 years ago that no one else would ever find is "finders keepers, loosers weepers" Whats the big deal? Gimme a break already. :icon_scratch: