Posted by Elyse on August 10, 2000 at 12:08:54:

In Reply to: Antiques posted by Deb on August 10, 2000 at 11:16:11:

They did have a society of reliquaries in England (I'm also reading a book on English culture at the moment*), but I am very suspicious of our fellows' scruples about removing articles from archeological digs. Archeology as a real science is only about a hundred years old, and even professionals would indiscriminately root around in a dig, without thought of relics' placement in the strata. The passages in "Sackett's Land" admonishing folks to leave history where it lay -- for future (better informed) discoverers -- was pure Louis L'Amour late 20th century conscience. I thought this passage totally anachronistic -- but why not? L.L. had a forum and could do some good. Probably a number of folks who read his books think it's ok to pot hunt. I don't, as you might guess, especially having graduated from a university that has one of the top pre-Columbian archeology schools. --------------- *"The Pleasures of the Imagination," by John Brewer, U. of Chicago Press. It's a good book.

Follow Ups: