Posted on 11/05/2010 11:53:54 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Looters Increase Activity During Bad Economy
Grave robbers are looting Arizona’s historic ruins at an alarming rate, according to archaeologists and investigators with the Tonto National Forest.
“What they’re doing out here is disrupting and in most cases destroying human remains while they’re seeking out pots to sell,” said Scott Wood, an archaeologist for the Tonto National Forest.
Wood brought a CBS 5 News team to the scene of one of the most recent lootings. The site is known as Mud Springs Ruins and was inhabited by the people known as the Hohokam 700 years ago.
At the center of the 50-room complex, two freshly dug holes illustrate the lengths to which grave robbers will go to steal decorated pottery, according to Wood. Mud Springs is located nearly 30 miles away from the nearest paved road.
“Learning all the things we can learn about this site depends on seeing the artifacts in their original location and context. Once you start removing that stuff from its original context, it’s like tearing pages out of a book. You’re never going to get the whole story,” said Wood.
Looting an archaeological site is a federal crime. In the Tonto National Forest, law enforcement field officers work with archaeologists and investigators to figure out who is responsible for the destruction, but finding clues months after the crime poses challenges.
“We’re basically looking for anything. It can be difficult,” said an investigator whose identity CBS 5 News agreed to conceal because of her ongoing cases. Investigators believe the looting at Mud Springs took place within the past six months. They know little about the people who are responsible, but because of the effort the looters put into finding this location and digging the holes, investigators suspect the pottery stolen was headed to the black market.
“It’s national. It’s international. Stuff stolen here can end up in the market in Europe, Saudi Arabia, Japan. There’s a market all over the world,” said Wood. Wood told CBS 5 News looting tends to increase during economic downturns, which means more of Arizona’s historic ruins remain at risk.
“What they’re looking for are the painted, decorated pottery -- the stuff that’s most often found, unfortunately, in graves in this area,” said Wood. If you see evidence of archaeological damage or suspicious activity at a ruin, you can report it by calling the Federal Law Enforcement Communications Center at 800-637-9152.
They’re not robbing graves, they’re just looking for new democrat voters, that’s all.
Isn't this what Archeologists do as well?
Yeah, but they are the elite and so it is ok if they rob, steal, and disturb someone's ancestral grave sites./Sar
Related to the Hekawi? Were they anywhere near Fort Courage?
They're just *begging* for a haunting, a mummy attack, a zombie plague, or some sort of indigenous pagan god to wake from its sleep and threaten a nearby rural community.
And don't expect any help from Kolchak or Mulder, either, idiots.
*groan* :-P
I KNOW!! I’m a bit superstitious when it comes to those kinds of things...you never know what kind of mojo could be lurking around in a grave.
My money would be on Kolchak, though. He’s wily and persistent enough to get to the bottom of it. ;)
The major difference between a grave robber and an archeologist is: WHO is PAYING !!
Me too. Kolchak was private sector. Mulder and Scully were government payroll parasites...
LOL!!!!
And if you find evidence of ancient artifacts on your property destroy it immediately or the FedGov will take your land or throw so many prohibitions on using it at you you might as well not own it and forget selling it.
“What they’re doing out here is disrupting and in most cases destroying human remains
Isn’t this what Archeologists do as well?
Yes, - BUT, the archeologists are part of the ‘academented’, are Federally funded, and don’t appreciate competition.
Ain’t you got no respect?
No it isn’t. The major difference is that an archaeologist’s aim is to learn about our heritage and publish it for the education of all, while a treasure hunter just wants to cash in.
I hate the elite as much as the next guy, but let’s not be ridiculous.
If the government would legalize pots, we wouldn't have this problem.
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Same for endangered species.
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