One of Kentuckys best/largest Prehistoric collections

[1320]

One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

See paragraph 2


http://www.as.uky.edu/museum-anthropology

Leave the shelters to the archeologists ya say?!

 

[flintmel]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

Right on 1320, many years ago when these institutions had 'money' and I being an addict collector I took my two young sons to DC to the Smithsonian. I didn't at the time realize how naive I was. I had read where the Smithsonian had tens of thousands of pristine collections from across the US donated to them. Upon entering I couldn't find much of anything displayed of the once great people who inhabited this land for over ten thousand years and found a museum representative who matter of factly informed me that yes, they have all of what I'd heard and more but laughed and said those artifacts haven't seen daylight since they arrived and likely never will. So go figure.....

 

[natchitoches]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

our government still trying to make the American Indian to disappear

 

[Cubfan64]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

Right on 1320, many years ago when these institutions had 'money' and I being an addict collector I took my two young sons to DC to the Smithsonian. I didn't at the time realize how naive I was. I had read where the Smithsonian had tens of thousands of pristine collections from across the US donated to them. Upon entering I couldn't find much of anything displayed of the once great people who inhabited this land for over ten thousand years and found a museum representative who matter of factly informed me that yes, they have all of what I'd heard and more but laughed and said those artifacts haven't seen daylight since they arrived and likely never will. So go figure.....

What a real shame! And to think there are museum's all over the USA with basements and archives filled with those sorts of things that the general public who shows an interest in them will never see.

And they wonder why people don't talk about things they find. I can still remember finding my first arrowhead in my gravel driveway 40 some years ago - holding it in my hand, showing it to my school friends during show and tell, going to the library to find books on arrowheads and native americans and just generally becoming interested in history. In many parts of the country these days, just having a native american artifact in your possession is grounds for fines, confiscation and potentially jail time.

What a F'd up country we live in.

 

[wells]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

And they will probably keep on accepting donated artifacts from Mr. good citizen, and put them in storage, or as in cases i've heard about, sell them.

 

[old digger]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman Mt. , you go there and you'll maybe see one spear head or atlatl point and it's a reproduction. There is no display of arrowheads. I also got in touch with the lead archie who did the digs on the Big Horn River before the dam was built. ( He led the digs with the Smithsonian Institute in this area at that time ) You should have seen his study, there were arrowheads and such all over that room. Makes you wonder, these guys probably amass themselves quite a personal collection. A good friend of mine's grandparents donated their large collection of indian artifacts to the Museum of the Rockies. And I was told that there were quite a few outstanding points in the collection. It just amazes me that there is a representation of the history of arrowheads and their classifications there at the museum for the general public to see. Don't our taxes support these university's?

 

[trevmma]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

i could see if they were saving are planet or something , then i would care for archeaologist, but its amazing what they have boxed up in basements, just like are goverment they want it all for them selves, cause deep down they are just collectors but just found a trick to get the power to get free pieces

 

[latrans]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

I suspect the fact that they are much less likely to lose what's in their museum's collection to repatriation if its not on display has something to do with it too.

 

[1320]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

I suspect the fact that they are much less likely to lose what's in their museum's collection to repatriation if its not on display has something to do with it too.

Good point, neverthought of that....

 

[flintmel]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

Under the FIA that can be easily determined, some tribes have already submitted their claims, some outside the US as well. We have the Peabody Museum that has been ordered to give back artifacts to local 'tribes' as well as Peruvian Artifacts back to Peru.

 

[centfladigger]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

I do not lie when I say this, but 2 years ago a museum on the west coast of Fl was trying to sell a parcel of land WITH the burial mound ( approx 90-100 burials )that was DONATED to them, to raise money to keep the museum open.
About 7 years ago I visited an archy friend at the Univerist in Tampa and he was beamingwith excitement because he just rescued a box fo Fl. artifacts the Museum/archy department just shtrew into the dumpster. The box of artifacts was donated to them by a widow lady who`s husband request she do so when he died. The University said they had no info or prvanace so they didnt want it.
My archy friend was going to use if for a hands on display for the school groups that come through.

 

[old digger]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

"If they don't dig it, then they can't put their names on it, and claim any glory" WOW! what a waste?

 

[scotto]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

About 7 years ago I visited an archy friend at the Univerist in Tampa and he was beamingwith excitement because he just rescued a box fo Fl. artifacts the Museum/archy department just shtrew into the dumpster. The box of artifacts was donated to them by a widow lady who`s husband request she do so when he died. The University said they had no info or provanace so they didnt want it.

Disgusting.

 

[fever87]

Re: One of Kentucky's best/largest Prehistoric collections

about a decade ago I went to the Met Museum in NYC. While they have exhibits all proberly displayed with descriptive placards and all the area I enjoyed the lost was just a series of cases that had "extras" in them. There were no placards impressive displays just shelves of American Art Pottery (what I enjoyed at the time), of chairs, of coins, jewelry. All were displayed with similar items but no measure of typical museum curation was paid other than to put some lights on them and lock them up. THAT is a simple thing a museum can do to get collections to where the public can see them. Each piece doesn't need to be ID for the public - nice if it is what holds up displaying for the public I can go without.