Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
I must come to the defense of higher education and archaeology today because of the comments made by one person. I'm never in favor of judging a group by one person.
"Treasure hunters are no better than ISIS, except they do not film themselves." That is a quote from an email written by the person that seems to run a TAMU web page to fight treasure hunting. I gave the link in my previous post. Joe D. forwarded the email containing the quote to me.
The quote equating treasure hunters (however defined) with ISIS fails to appreciate that treasure hunters don't kill, maim, enslave and rape thousands upon thousands, as does ISIS. What shocked me the most about the comment is the gross insensitivity to human carnage and suffering inflicted by ISIS on thousands and thousands of victims. When I originally read the web site I thought the author might be using the term treasure hunting as a synonym for looter or something specific, but after reading the email, I wouldn't be surprised if he is actually lumping every one that goes out to the beach for a little recreational metal detecting in with looters - and ISIS. I hope not.
The quote equating treasure hunters (however defined) with ISIS fails to appreciate that treasure hunters don't kill, maim, enslave and rape thousands upon thousands, as does ISIS. What shocked me the most about the comment is the gross insensitivity to human carnage and suffering inflicted by ISIS on thousands and thousands of victims. When I originally read the web site I thought the author might be using the term treasure hunting as a synonym for looter or something specific, but after reading the email, I wouldn't be surprised if he is actually lumping every one that goes out to the beach for a little recreational metal detecting in with looters - and ISIS. I hope not.
I do not believe that this person's attitudes reflect the vast majority of those in archaeology, otherwise we would not have people such as Eugene Lyons, E. Lee Spence, or Robert Marx who contribute significantly and are accepted and honored by both academia and treasure hunting. And we would not have a long history of permits issued by states to treasure salvage companies. The Florida Collection obtains items every year from Treasure Coast treasure salvors.
I have cited studies in which amateur detectorists worked with archaeologists to survey sites. The Portable Antiquities Scheme, which began in 1996, has resulted in thousands of finds being made by amateur detectorists that have become a part of the PAS database. Dr. E. Lee Spence, who credits Robert Marx with being the father of underwater archaeology, worked under permit with Intersal Inc. to locate Queen Anne's Revenge, which I've posted about quite a few times. Those are just a few of many examples.
The people that read this blog are very much interested in archaeology and would support archaeology any way they can. They include doctors, attorneys, teachers, etc. Some have made contributions to the field of archaeology. Most do a little detecting on the beach and have not found anything that would be of interest to an archaeologists but are still enthusiastic about archaeology and are much more interested in our common past than the average citizen. They are a part of the public for whom the past should be preserved and also the supporters of archaeology. It is sad to see them lumped in with ISIS. Mud slinging doesn't accomplish anything. It would be better to have rational discussion. I was hoping that the author of the ISIS quote was perhaps using the term "treasure hunter" differently than many casual detectorists and not knowing how many friends of archaeology might be offended. The gross insensitivity to the suffering of the victims of ISIS is really hard to overlook.
---
Just so I won't be accused of taking the quote out of context, below is the text of the email Joe D. received in response to his email to the author of the "stop treasure hunting" web site, which I referred to in my previous post.
Precisely because I am in academia I have the moral obligation to give my informed opinion on treasure hunters or anybody that destroys the world's cultural heritage or the world's environment. I do not talk lightly about treasure hunters. I have been around for many years and when I say that treasure hunters are no better than ISIS, except that they do not film themselves, I know what I am talking about. I have seen treasure hunters destroy amazingly important testimonies of our common past to get a few artifacts that shine.
---
Don't forget the Robert Marx lecture at FIT on Feb. 20.
