David Gill, Paul Barford and like-minded archaeologists may celebrate the Carabinieri's exhibit of repatriated "trophy art," but they can only question whether a massive Anglo-Saxon hoard reported by a member of the public will encourage others to violate the U.K.'s laws. See: http://lootingmatters.blogspot.com/2009/10/illicit-raids-on-rise.html, http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2009/10/benefits-of-not-asking-questions.html and
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/6259437/Archaeological-sites-face-ruin-from-treasure-hunting-nighthawkers.html
Never mind that a recent government sponsored survey concluded that "Nighthawking" has actually declined. See: http://www.finds.org.uk/wordpress/?p=680 ("The Report shows that Nighthawking seems to have declined on two counts compared with an earlier survey in 1995, ...").
In the meantime, another large hoard-- this one of some 10,000 coins-- was also reported to the authorities in England. http://forums.canadiancontent.net/history/87101-10-000-roman-coins-unearthed.html Though overshadowed by publicity about the massive Anglo-Saxon hoard, it is also important in its own right as one of the largest found in the area.
Can Italian authorities boast of similar successes?
Is it about "saving antiquities for everyone" or is it really a question of "academic snobbery" and "control?"
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2 comments:
'Is it about "saving antiquities for everyone" or is it really a question of "academic snobbery" and "control?"'
For a few nabobs of negativity it would appear to be the latter. Please don't confuse them with the facts; while everyone else celebrates the wonderful finds and the positive fruitage of professional/amateur collaboration, the idealogues proudly strap on their blinders, searching frantically for a scrap of negativity they can latch onto, railing away from atop their worn-out soap boxes like so many modern-day Cynics, abusing decent folk and expecting a medal of honor for it. Ho-hum, how tiresome...
Voz Earl
For more evidence of "academic snobbery" and a desire for "control," see Paul Barford's reaction to the views of a British Museum curator: http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2009/10/stop-sneering-at-metal-detectorists.html
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