Downright Archiness

[surfaceone]

Attention archeology observers: Last week in St. Augustine, Fla. there was some digging drama that played out in the newspaper:

First there was this story about a Coming Reality Digging Program.

I know, sounds pretty half-baked, but stay tuned for more...

Next up is this Story of Detectorist Bob Spratley. Pretty positive story, Mr. Spratley sounds like a gifted detectorist, and a solid guy. Florida readers and those interested in Digging Laws that may be more on the horizon, might be interested in the plethora of "Comments" in the wake of this story.

A predictable response, An Archeologist's Perspective, by City of St. Augustine archaeologist Carl Halbirt.

Getting the latest last word, is Kathleen Deagan, Veteran archaeologist takes issue with treasure hunters. Listen up fellow "Looters," this trend to declare buried old stuff sacred "natural resources," and to paint anyone who stumbles across, or blatantly goes looking for old stuff as "destructive...looters" endangering the public trust, is getting louder and more strident. Of Mr. Spratley, she says, "This would be a national disgrace in Jamestown, Plymouth or Williamsburg."

If you were paying attention to the article on Mr. Spratley, he claims to know the site of the Matanzas Massacre.

"The Massacre of the French by Menendez and his men at
Matanzas Inlet 15 miles south of St. Augustine" From.

Seems that Mr. Spratley may have knowledge of this site or others that Ms. Deagan who has been searching for sites related to Mystery of Menendez, for the past 35 years or so, off and on. Apparently with not a lot of success.

"Pedro Menendez de Aviles, sent by King Phillip II of Spain, Established St. Augustine in 1565" From.

 

[rockbot]

Great story.

I like he's closing

"Freedom," he said "to be able to do what I want and share it with others"

priceless!

 

[Wheelah23]

Wow, what an interesting discussion. Makes me glad I've never met an archy in person... [8D]

I find it fitting that the elitist pig speaking from the archies' perspective, who is hogging the comments of the "Metal detectorist finds rare treasures under sands" article, is named "hearmeroar". All bark and no bite... His grandiloquent tirades and personal attacks on other posters, to me at least, show the true character of the archy vs. digger debate. We're all a bit biased here, but common sense should dictate archies have gone WAY overboard in their selfish zealousness. Nothing we diggers can do but make sure they don't grab up everything before we do... []

 

[appliedlips]

Now, I agree the archie on the blog sounds very typical, all whine and no dig! But the debate don't get started if some blowhard with a metal detector doesn't brag. Let's face it that is why diggers talk about finds, I know, I know we are sharing the history, b.s. I say. We are human and its fun to show our finds,especially good ones, but responsibility comes along with it. This man was rubbing it in their face, and I wouldn't back him for a minute. If I lived in the area, I would be more disgusted with him than the archeologists who will use this to make more restrictions. Just because I could get away with digging a site of National importance because I found it, doesn't make it right and I hope I could resist. In my opinion the finds belong in a museum and his arrogance will get more roped off than one site.

 

[appliedlips]

One poster backs him up by saying it is kept quiet for tax purposes, duh! Tax evasion is not a good defense in a moral debate. No, I dont pay taxes on my Lydia Pinkhams and wheat pennies I find either but try to stay out of these messes in the first place. Right or wrong, if we dare someone to respond they will. I know diggers always defend themselves by beating up on the morality of acheaologists. It makes us look like the shady ones, period. Not arguing is the best course, and saying look what I found while those lazy, cry baby archies were sleeping don't seem to be a good start.

 

[Wheelah23]

ORIGINAL: appliedlips

Now, I agree the archie on the blog sounds very typical, all whine and no dig! But the debate don't get started if some blowhard with a metal detector doesn't brag. Let's face it that is why diggers talk about finds, I know, I know we are sharing the history, b.s. I say. We are human and its fun to show our finds,especially good ones, but responsibility comes along with it. This man was rubbing it in their face, and I wouldn't back him for a minute. If I lived in the area, I would be more disgusted with him than the archeologists who will use this to make more restrictions. Just because I could get away with digging a site of National importance because I found it, doesn't make it right and I hope I could resist. In my opinion the finds belong in a museum and his arrogance will get more roped off than one site.

You make a good point there. I think the metal detectorist is making a bad decision by rubbing in the archies' faces the fact that he found that massacre site. Unforgivably, he isn't divulging the location of that and other historically important sites. There's bad people on both sides.

 

[JOETHECROW]

Hmmm,...the comments section contains some pretty evident contempt for "pot stealing looters"...This is pretty much how we're viewed...I don't suppose much will change their outlook of bottle and artifact digging folk. Here's a quote from the comments section.

"Diggers." NO. Pot-hunting thieves of time... time bandits. You're the enemies of history, in for personal gain.

P.S. Thanks for posting this Surf....good reading.

 

[andy volkerts]

[] Yeah all the bottle diggers in Oregon know about it now being illegal to dig on even private property let alone national treasure sites or state property. We as bottle diggers have to protect our rights and not allow legislation in our states like Oregons. And it will be coming the Arkies are pushin it everywhere......

 

[appliedlips]

The Oregon digger that went on T.V. didn't know, now he does and so do more property owners!

 

[baltbottles]

You know I love how the Archaeologists believe they can do know wrong. I was talking to one of the Philadelphia archaeologists at independence park and she told me they excavated over 2 million artifacts from the federally owned part of old city Philadelphia representing 1/7th of the colonial city and that its the best sampling ever done of a colonial city in America.

Then I asked about getting access to colonial slipwares for study and comparison to those which I have excavated in Baltimore. She said all the stuff is in storage and no one can have access to it... This really puzzeld me then she went on to tell me that they threw out over 500,000 artifacts because they didn't have the space to keep them. So then I asked why didn't they donate the artifacts to another museum or educational institution or auction them off to fund more archaeology.... Her answer was that the way the laws work the artifacts are public property and belong to no one and that no one can own them so redundant artifacts have to be destroyed....

And they call us pot hunters.....

At least we are not out destroying artifacts because of a poorly written archeology law.

Chris