totallynotabrony:

jangojips:

This show, as advertised by Spike TV (http://aroundthenetworks.com/spike-tv-announces-unscripted-show-american-digger/), will follow a team “led by former professional wrestler-turned-modern- day relic hunter Ric Savage as they scour … battlefields and historic sites, in hopes of striking it rich by unearthing and selling rare pieces of American history.”

“American Diggers,” as described, encourages and glorifies looting and the antiquities trade at the expense of American history. Although the items pilfered by the team are acknowledged to have “great historical and cultural significance,” these items are sold for individual profit.

This is not okay!
Please, take a moment to sign this petition!
Archaeologists/Anthropologists….UNITE!

Yes I am aware of the irony of using an Indiana Jones reaction gif.

But as an archaeology major, this is one of the few things guaranteed to rustle my jimmies. American archaeology laws are already bad enough (private landowners can do whatever they want to a site on their land, including outright destruction; or the extremely well intentioned but still poorly written NAGPRA), but a show that encourages looting? Looting is the worst threat to archaeological sites, it has always been, true. But that does not mean it should continue, and definitely shouldn’t be encouraged. I know Spike TV is not exactly the most quality network with programming aimed at expanding human knowledge. But COME ON.

And before you guys say something like “what if a museum buys the stuff?”, it doesn’t matter. Looting destroys the most important part of archaeological field work, and that is understanding the CONTEXT of an artifact.

So I know I’m not followed by other archaeologists. Or maybe I am but I only know you for your ponies. But PLEASE. Sign this.

YES. ALL OF THIS.

Context is just as important as the artifact itself. Without context, you lose how an object was used, where it was found (and therefore possibly clues as to its use), the layer in which it was found (for dating), and so, so very much more.