Written by the Treasure Guide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.
 |
| Sonar Image of City of Rio De Janeiro Source: noaa.gov link found in this post. |
NOAA and its partners ... released three-dimensional sonar maps and images of an immigrant steamship lost more than 100 years ago in what many consider the worst maritime disaster in San Francisco history..
... California-based salvagers found the wreck in the 1980s, but its exact location was unknown as the coordinates they provided did not coincide with any wreck charted by NOAA through years of sonar work.
Here is the link for more about this shipwreck and an extensive NOAA study of shipwrecks in the San Francisco area.
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/press/2014/pr121014.html
---------
A sword found by a detectorist in 1989 dates to around 4200 years old and belonged to a warrior now known as Racton Man. ...Racton Man was probably a tribal leader from the very beginning of the Bronze Age. Their research makes him significant on a national scale. Scientists have determined that he was buried more than 4,000 years ago and was over 45 at the time of his death.
Here is the link for more of the story.
http://www.chichester.gov.uk/article/25733/Warrior-Chief-with-earliest-bronze-weapon-may-have-died-in-combat
-------
For most people there is something that they in some way consider sacred. For example, most people show a certain amount of respect for the dead. They treat bodies and cemeteries with reverence. That sense of respect is in my opinion natural and occurs even in people that have no particular religious commitment or awareness.
Very often what looks like reverence is little more than the result of social pressure or political correctness and nothing more.
Recently a number of four-thousand-year-old artifacts were returned to the Hopi's. The word "returned" may be misleading. I doubt if any real connection between modern Hopi's and the original owners of the artifacts 4000 years ago can be demonstrated. Nonetheless the artifacts were treated as sacred and shipped according to the prescriptions of modern tribal representatives, including no bubble wrap or any other method of packing that would "hinder spirit" or be considered inappropriate treatment.
I know that this brief discussion is vague and maybe somewhat imprecise, but I think you will find the articles located through the following links interesting. There are a number of issues brought up and a number of areas of conflict. While archaeologists know they must adhere to laws concerning repatriation, some think those laws do more harm than good.
I also have to wonder if Christian objects and artifacts would be treated with the same sensitivity and respect as those that were returned to the Hopis. I somehow doubt it, but that is just my suspicion.
I found the following articles concerning the repatriation of these objects interesting because of the many seemingly contradictory positions and the many issues brought up.
Take a look.
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2012/12/effort-to-return-hopi-artifacts-stirs.html#.VI3pFOl0zIU
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/arts/design/secret-bids-guide-hopi-indians-spirits-home.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
I hope you read Laura Strolia's article that I posted yesterday. Take some time to stop and think about it. How does it apply to you? Do you pay proper respect to the history and religious items you encounter as a detectorist?
----------
On the Treasure Coast tomorrow the surf will be down to 1 - 2 feet. The river is also smooth. We'll be having a calm surf at the beach for several days if the predictions are correct.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net
