tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post1967393224381645571..comments2024-03-27T04:46:33.198-07:00Comments on Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues: Living comfortably off the tax-dollars?Paul Barfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-34899415650186480932009-05-21T12:38:13.720-07:002009-05-21T12:38:13.720-07:00Marcus, I think your FONQACS is awfully cumbersome...Marcus, I think your FONQACS is awfully cumbersome. <br /><br />I think we are all Folks Against Unprincipled Portable Antiquities Robbers and Seekers FAUPARS. That's better isn't it? Less of a mouthful for "metal detectorists" collectors who wear hats indoors and the "coineys" to deal with.Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-26066980006603528652009-05-21T01:01:59.132-07:002009-05-21T01:01:59.132-07:00I do wish collectors such as Mr Rothwell wouldn't ...I do wish collectors such as Mr Rothwell wouldn't constantly archaeologise those who oppose no-questions-asked collecting. Many of them (including me) are neither archaeologists nor agents of nationalist foreign governments. We're just folks. It's pretty clear why they do it though. An archaeologist can be criticised personally - he is biassed, blinkered, jealous, political, out-dated, agenda driven, socialist, doctrinaire and stupid. Whereas "Folks who oppose no-questions-asked collecting" (FONQACs) have no identifiable characteristics and so oblige collectors to face up to what they say not who they are.<br /><br />And what exactly DO we FONQACS say and are there ANY grounds for saying we are wrong? <br /><br />Well, my great uncle was a collector and had one Roman coin that Mr Rothwell would eat his heart out for as I understand there are only five others known to exist. What I say is that I could sell it for an awful lot of money. I presume Mr Rothwell would agree. Perhaps he himself would be the lucky bidder.<br /><br />But here's the rub: he would say it was a legitimate, legal, ethical purchase. So would I.<br /><br />But is it? Did I actually dig it up from a depth of two feet on a scheduled Roman site in Cambridgeshire last Tuesday at 2.00am ? <br /><br />We FONQACS have a point Mr Rothwell. Demonising countries and archaeologists is no answer to it.Marcus Preenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03603874627751387853noreply@blogger.com