Hello there. I am a trained archaeologist who works in connection with a British University, in their antiquities library. I think the world's past should be studied, of course, and more importantly preserved- not plundered and sold illegally to private bidders for their own art collections.
I do, on occassion, find myself in the situation where I can acquire antiquities for myself, straight out of the ground (I do a lot of world exploration out of my own pocket, and don't forget I'm fully trained, as well as having access to an entire library and archives...).
Of course I would give these to a museum or my University rather than selling to a private bidder- but do you think there's any harm in charging a small fee, far below what the items are actually worth in order to pad out my wallet a little, and bearing in mind that such institutions are under heavy budgeting anyway?
Nothing wrong in my book- what do you think?
2007-12-12 21:35:58 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
As a trained Archaeologist you probably have a good idea about the International Laws regarding antiquities... granted each country is a little different...
But then what you are really asking is not about Law but about Ethics... and that can affect your reputation as an Archaeologist .
I went to Colombia SA with my father when he bought some emeralds... the emerald dealer pulled out a beautiful example of a Pre-Colombian gold figure... Museum quality... said that he could have it delivered to us in the US...
I'm an artist and I wouldn't take the risk of that transaction
2007-12-12 21:57:58 · answer #1 · answered by edzerne 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jack MacDivet has written a series of science fiction books where the hero is a future antiquities dealer, so the same questions might be asked in a thousand years as well...
finding antiquities....be it a University of Pennsylvania expedition or Hiram Bingham or good ol' Schliemann is obviously a costly business......and if someone doesn't go to the time, money and effort of finding these things, they stay in the ground lost to time and history and the public maybe forever.
So yeah, out of pocket and some reward for your expertise is fully justified PROVIDED they go to an institution where they can be accessed by scholars, enthusiasts or even John Q Public...sold to a private collector to be hidden in a basement is, as you Brits say, poor form.
2007-12-13 07:45:10 · answer #2 · answered by yankee_sailor 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's the "nothing wrong in my book" which sours your question. Up to that point you were wrestling with a question of morality.
Each of us makes judgements about what we should or should not do based on our understanding of right and wrong, on ethics, morality and integrity. For me, making money out of what is essentially a nation's heritage is unthinkable; if the artefacts belong to the nation (as I believe they do) then any cash derived from them should also go to the nation, or towards the conservation of those artefacts. Any other course would, I believe, be close to theft.
As I said, we each make up our own minds.
2007-12-13 08:34:03 · answer #3 · answered by Brother Ranulf 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think it's ethical to charge as I'm sure that institutions dont actually have as bug a budget to spend as you think. I'm sure that if you just gave them the antiques then you would get the accolade and appreciation.
2007-12-14 12:53:05 · answer #4 · answered by AmyV 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can sell something legally, and you can be assured it will be cared for properly, I don't have the slightest problem with making money this way. You have cared for history in making sure it is preserved, and the money/profit is certainly justified for that, as well as allowing you to open up new avenues of historical research.
There is no moral dilemma.
2007-12-13 14:20:34 · answer #5 · answered by Rich 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You miss the real point: how many of these are there?
If this thing is unique, it has to be in a national collection accessible to the public.
If there are many of them, private collectors may own them, as well as museums.
2007-12-13 09:52:21 · answer #6 · answered by gravybaby 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Why don't you just admit to yourself that you want to make some money digging things up and selling them and then do it?
People prefer an honest chancer to a self-righteous hypocrite
2007-12-13 07:30:57 · answer #7 · answered by Hera Sent Me 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well if someone else do it in ur dept. wat would u do???
i mean if u don't mind everyone do it then do it urself but hope that doesn't make u a greedy man at the end of the day???
--------earn to live not live to earn my frnd-------
2007-12-13 05:43:55 · answer #8 · answered by saurabh n 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Go for it Indy!
2007-12-13 05:43:45 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋