[ I haven’t even read the long form yet, but I have to wonder:
Is there even a “right way” to collect “artifacts” anymore??? ]
No, of course this will encourage casual collectors to shovel and horde....
Find buried gold coins, govt takes them all, find old ancient potter government will toss you in jail...
Yes, but you have to know the law inside an out. It is enforced very strictly and has been for a long time. The law dates back to 1906 and has been expanded on several times since then. The last big expansion was around 1990. This is an area where ignorance of the law can send you to prison for a long time and cost you everything you own.
You can't collect from federal land without express permission and you have to follow rules of collection. Most states have similar laws.
No grave robbing. No human remains, no "kill holes" in pots. No funerary items. No excuses, period unless they have a provable pre-1906 provenance.
It generally doesn't matter whether you know what you are buying or not - the burden is on the buyer to know what is legal and illegal. There are fines and prison waiting for those who break the laws, and the items will be seized with no recompense unless you can prove that it has been in private possession since prior to 1906. No provable provenance, there goes your artefact.
I have watched appraisers on Antiques Road Show mention something about personal artefacts vs. communal artefacts. Apparently, owning personal artefacts - something a person would own - is okay. Owning communal artefacts - something a tribe would own - is not.