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It's an archaeological dig as such it is done under special circumstances. Basically the permit is granted before the dig is started and it will list the condit

It's an archaeological dig as such it is done under special circumstances. Basically the permit is granted before the dig is started and it will list the conditions that apply to that dig if they are not already regulated as standard by a law. If you dig on your own private property and find such artifacts you are most likely required to stop. Most countries consider historical artifacts to be owned by the state (just like natural resources) and the special conditions mentioned above will apply.

ryanianian 8y ago
In the US you do actually own the things in your ground (unless you gave away mineral rights, a thing that is kinda common in mining areas). (NPR did a thing on this a while ago about a farmer who ended up owning a huge T-Rex fossil.)
- AlotOfReading 8y ago
  You own them as long as they don't fall under NAGPRA and there are no human remains. Even then, most states have laws restricting what you're able to do with a site.
  - close04 8y ago
    In many European countries finding a pot of gold buried in your back yard means you have to hand it over to the authorities and maybe get a "finder's fee". You're not allowed to keep or sell such historical artifacts regardless of their monetary value. I don't know what happens when human remains are involved. Common sense tells me that they would never become the "property" of the land owner. And of course there is a chance that some artifacts are treated differently than others. A T-Rex fossil is 100% naturally occurring while minted coins or a sarcophagus are not. They may have even been at some point property of the state and as such could be treated as national patrimony.
    - germinalphrase 8y ago
      I have been told that this is also true in my home state- Minnesota. Land owners do not automatically retain mineral rights when they purchase property.
0xdeadbeefbabe 8y ago
> you are most likely required to stop Seems unenforceable. Edit: The creative potential of a public service announcement makes me smile though.
- close04 8y ago
  Not per se because there's no active monitoring. But the value of most artifacts is in displaying them or selling them (even for the raw materials, like melted as gold/silver bars). So something with purely historical value is harder to hide. Which means sooner or later there's a good chance it can be traced back to you. But yeah, if you plan on keeping them for your personal collection I guess nobody ever has to know. Except a few of your best friends or family who definitely won't tell a soul, ever :D.
- nashashmi 8y ago
  The old Turks would be great at tunneling. So they would bury their gold underground in tunnels eons ago. In Jordan, This was so common that you were likely to find gold during construction projects or while digging in your backyard. So if a worker found gold, he would be required to hand it over. So he wouldn't dig it out during the day. Only at night. Helicopters would roam around at night specifically to find diggers at night with their lanterns and lamps looking for gold.

ryanianian 8y ago

In the US you do actually own the things in your ground (unless you gave away mineral rights, a thing that is kinda common in mining areas). (NPR did a thing on this a while ago about a farmer who ended up owning a huge T-Rex fossil.)

AlotOfReading 8y ago
You own them as long as they don't fall under NAGPRA and there are no human remains. Even then, most states have laws restricting what you're able to do with a site.
- close04 8y ago
  In many European countries finding a pot of gold buried in your back yard means you have to hand it over to the authorities and maybe get a "finder's fee". You're not allowed to keep or sell such historical artifacts regardless of their monetary value. I don't know what happens when human remains are involved. Common sense tells me that they would never become the "property" of the land owner. And of course there is a chance that some artifacts are treated differently than others. A T-Rex fossil is 100% naturally occurring while minted coins or a sarcophagus are not. They may have even been at some point property of the state and as such could be treated as national patrimony.
  - germinalphrase 8y ago
    I have been told that this is also true in my home state- Minnesota. Land owners do not automatically retain mineral rights when they purchase property.

0xdeadbeefbabe 8y ago

> you are most likely required to stop Seems unenforceable. Edit: The creative potential of a public service announcement makes me smile though.

close04 8y ago
Not per se because there's no active monitoring. But the value of most artifacts is in displaying them or selling them (even for the raw materials, like melted as gold/silver bars). So something with purely historical value is harder to hide. Which means sooner or later there's a good chance it can be traced back to you. But yeah, if you plan on keeping them for your personal collection I guess nobody ever has to know. Except a few of your best friends or family who definitely won't tell a soul, ever :D.
nashashmi 8y ago
The old Turks would be great at tunneling. So they would bury their gold underground in tunnels eons ago. In Jordan, This was so common that you were likely to find gold during construction projects or while digging in your backyard. So if a worker found gold, he would be required to hand it over. So he wouldn't dig it out during the day. Only at night. Helicopters would roam around at night specifically to find diggers at night with their lanterns and lamps looking for gold.