4 ms·

If it were legal to sell such artifacts, museums and collectors around the world could bid up the prices, making them much more profitable than the iron ore Rio

If it were legal to sell such artifacts, museums and collectors around the world could bid up the prices, making them much more profitable than the iron ore Rio Tinto could otherwise extract, strongly motivating them toward recovery. The natives of that land would probably be deprived of their exclusive access, and private buyers could hide their own collections from the world. But most public buyers and many private ones would be very motivated to share these precious items with the world, scientifically and culturally. The publicity increases their resale value if nothing else. How many ancient artifacts are hidden away because they are illegal to own? I might or might not have owned such an arrowhead once. If I did and still did that could make it something I had to hide. The pool of artifacts available to archaeologists and museums may well be smaller due to such perverse incentives. I know people who make home displays of arrowheads and potshards they've found. But others, not wanting to openly break federal law, keep them hidden in drawers. The law effectively hides away evidence of the ancient people that came before us. If they removed the threat we could openly celebrate them instead. The artifacts that were destroyed were priceless. If they had prices, they probably would be high, and so would be carefully preserved instead.

wizzwizz4 5y ago
> If it were legal to sell such artifacts, museums and collectors around the world could bid up the prices, making them much more profitable than the iron ore Rio Tinto could otherwise extract, strongly motivating them toward recovery. Unless they weren't. Then they'd be blown up anyway, except we'd perceive a moral right for them to do so, and it would be harder to fight back against the practice.
AlotOfReading 5y ago
As a former archaeologist, we really don't care about random contextless artifacts. Legal or not, the stuff in your house would almost certainly not be useful for academic work. Please don't use us as an argument against antiquities laws, especially as most archaeologists are in favor of making them even stronger.
- unpopulropnions 5y ago
  > most archaeologists are in favor of making them even stronger. Most archaelogists are public employees or employed by institutions dependent on public funds. This makes them more inclined to state intervention than the average citizen. Their paychecks literally depend on it. > As a former archaeologist, we really don't care about random contextless artifacts. Collectors do still value random artifacts, but a collection is much more valuable in context. A company that found such a site and could exploit it would be wise to hire archaeologists to improve the value of their property. You can sell the Crown Jewels for more than you can sell the individual jewels.
  - AlotOfReading 5y ago
    In most western countries (especially the US and UK where I have experience), there is a thriving private archaeology industry. Perhaps that's not true in your country, but it's a pretty unfair dismissal regardless.
    - unpopulropnions 5y ago
      I wrote "Most archaelogists", not all. Among the professionals, is that untrue or less than fair? If archaeology is predominantly a private industry I do need to update my priors.
      - AlotOfReading 5y ago
        Yes, the largest sector by far is private. There aren't many publicly funded jobs (annually it's measured in low 3 digits) and the competition for them is fierce. Either way, the ethics are similar. I don't intend to be dismissive in saying this, but the arguments that you're making are wildly off-base about the underlying subject. Moreover, archaeology for the sole purpose of increasing commercial value violates strong ethical norms.
    - lupire 5y ago
      Lara Croft?
yccs27 5y ago
Not sure I agree with the conclusions, but I really respect the "unpopular opinion".
mtnGoat 5y ago
i live in washington and hike a lot, i have found arrowheads and other artifacts, as have many of my hiking buddies. every time you call the tribe and offer to give them their artifacts, they tell you keep them.

wizzwizz4 5y ago

> If it were legal to sell such artifacts, museums and collectors around the world could bid up the prices, making them much more profitable than the iron ore Rio Tinto could otherwise extract, strongly motivating them toward recovery. Unless they weren't. Then they'd be blown up anyway, except we'd perceive a moral right for them to do so, and it would be harder to fight back against the practice.

AlotOfReading 5y ago

As a former archaeologist, we really don't care about random contextless artifacts. Legal or not, the stuff in your house would almost certainly not be useful for academic work. Please don't use us as an argument against antiquities laws, especially as most archaeologists are in favor of making them even stronger.

unpopulropnions 5y ago
> most archaeologists are in favor of making them even stronger. Most archaelogists are public employees or employed by institutions dependent on public funds. This makes them more inclined to state intervention than the average citizen. Their paychecks literally depend on it. > As a former archaeologist, we really don't care about random contextless artifacts. Collectors do still value random artifacts, but a collection is much more valuable in context. A company that found such a site and could exploit it would be wise to hire archaeologists to improve the value of their property. You can sell the Crown Jewels for more than you can sell the individual jewels.
- AlotOfReading 5y ago
  In most western countries (especially the US and UK where I have experience), there is a thriving private archaeology industry. Perhaps that's not true in your country, but it's a pretty unfair dismissal regardless.
  - unpopulropnions 5y ago
    I wrote "Most archaelogists", not all. Among the professionals, is that untrue or less than fair? If archaeology is predominantly a private industry I do need to update my priors.
    - AlotOfReading 5y ago
      Yes, the largest sector by far is private. There aren't many publicly funded jobs (annually it's measured in low 3 digits) and the competition for them is fierce. Either way, the ethics are similar. I don't intend to be dismissive in saying this, but the arguments that you're making are wildly off-base about the underlying subject. Moreover, archaeology for the sole purpose of increasing commercial value violates strong ethical norms.
  - lupire 5y ago
    Lara Croft?

yccs27 5y ago

Not sure I agree with the conclusions, but I really respect the "unpopular opinion".

mtnGoat 5y ago

i live in washington and hike a lot, i have found arrowheads and other artifacts, as have many of my hiking buddies. every time you call the tribe and offer to give them their artifacts, they tell you keep them.