Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Archaeologists Debate Whether to Ignore the Pasts of Relics
New York Times ^ | May 2, 2006 | Hugh Eakin

Posted on 05/01/2006 11:01:22 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

As scholars grapple with the reality that a growing number of important works -- like the Ur-Nammu tablet and the recently unveiled Gospel of Judas -- lack a clear provenance, those ethics policies are the focus of heated debate. On one side are archaeologists and other experts who say that most objects without a clear record of ownership or site of origin were looted, and that the publication of such material aggrandizes collectors and encourages the illicit trade. On the other side are those who argue that ignoring such works may be even more damaging to scholarship than the destruction caused by looting... In recent days more than 100 scholars in the United States and Europe have signed a controversial statement asserting that the publishing restrictions are forcing them to "close their eyes to important information." The statement was drafted by Lawrence E. Stager, an archaeologist at Harvard University, and has been posted on the Web site of Biblical Archaeology Review, a journal that does not have restrictions on unprovenanced works.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs

Jordanian officials seized these cuneiform tablets from smugglers. [Ali Jarekji/Reuters]

Archaeologists Debate Whether to Ignore the Pasts of Relics

1 posted on 05/01/2006 11:01:25 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Publication of Unprovenanced Artifacts Statement of Concern
Biblical Archaeology Review
We are archaeologists and scholars who deal with archaeological materials from the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean basin. We wish to express our concern at a movement that has received much publicity lately that condemns the use of unprovenanced antiquities from consideration in the reconstruction of ancient history. On the contrary, a history of this region cannot be written without the evidence from unprovenanced antiquities...

2 posted on 05/01/2006 11:03:02 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam; FairOpinion; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 24Karet; 3AngelaD; ...
To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

3 posted on 05/01/2006 11:03:23 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Archeologists are just peeved that they didn't get to the loot first.


4 posted on 05/02/2006 5:30:36 AM PDT by Little Ray (I'm a reactionary, hirsute, gun-owning, knuckle dragging, Christian Neanderthal and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
the publishing restrictions are forcing them to "close their eyes to important information."

Sounds similar to the big bioethics fight many years ago over whether or not to make life saving use of "tainted" knowledge gleaned from Nazi "experiments" in hypothermia; or to ignore the body of data, until it could be recreated by conducting humane, ethical research in the area, while allowing people to needlessly die.

This bears keeping an eye on it.

5 posted on 05/11/2006 10:36:29 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Deportación por los todos ilegales ahora: Si, se puede!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Removing relics vs. preserving history (op-ed)
Christian Science Monitor | May 17, 2006 | Randy Salzman
Posted on 05/17/2006 11:48:46 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1633768/posts

Director of Getty Is Unrattled by Claims of Italy and Greece to Antiquities
New York Times | May 15, 2006 | Hugh Eakin
Posted on 05/17/2006 11:53:13 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1633771/posts


6 posted on 05/17/2006 8:56:23 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic · subscribe ·

 
Gods
Graves
Glyphs
Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.
GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
 

·Dogpile · Archaeologica · LiveScience · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society ·
· Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google ·
· The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·


7 posted on 01/18/2010 4:28:47 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Happy New Year! Freedom is Priceless.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson