Ancient Coin Collectors probably consider themselves blessed that they are represented by a Guild whose Board members include such individuals as Dealer Dave Welsh. Here is Dealer Dave holding forth on their behalf about the removal of collectable and commercially valuable archaeological artefacts from the archaeological record:
There will always be extremists who will howl about "artifacts being ripped from the ground" thereby "destroying their context" and "imperiling the archaeological record." It is becoming increasingly clear that these howls have little to do with reality or common sense, and that those voicing them are very far from being representative of the archaeological mainstream.Dealer Dave thinks we should ignore what he calls "extremists", call "looting the archaeological record" by some other name and be happy at wotta-lotta-stuff we can get to gawp at and sell. And not a single collector of ancient dug-up artefacts will disagree with him.
What does that tell you about the milieu?
1 comment:
So Mr Welsh thinks those who oppose "artifacts being ripped from the ground" thereby "destroying their context" and "imperiling the archaeological record" are "very far from being representative of the archaeological mainstream"?!
Blimey. Well he won't mind naming a single, solitary British archaeologist who isn't of that view then will he? Or a single solitary British archaeological ethical code that doesn't express the same view in very strong terms? Or a single solitary British archaeology faculty that doesn't teach that? Or a single solitary statement from EH, CADW, Historic Scotland or CBA that says anything different?
Or maybe, instead of trying to convince his hapless customers that Paul Barford is saying something British archaeologists disagree with he should post on Britarch and ask if they think context and loss of it isn't the central malign result of his trade!
Do they have the term "caught out in a monumental porky" in the States?
I won't hold my breath for him to post on Britarch though as isn't "don't ask lest you are told" a well established practice in some professions?
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