Even plundered and looted is often a misnomer. In many cases, they could be replaced with collected, saved, and preserved. Our current sense of historical pre

Even plundered and looted is often a misnomer. In many cases, they could be replaced with collected, saved, and preserved. Our current sense of historical preservation was not as pervasive in the past. In many places these materials would have been consumed or destroyed by locals who had more pragmatic concerns and no interest in the past.