This sounds particularly dire, on multiple levels:
On 20 March, Spike TV will premiere a new show called American Digger, while a show called Diggers on the National Geographic Channel made its debut 28 February. Both shows “promote and glorify the looting and destruction of archaeological sites,” Society for American Archaeology (SAA) President William F. Limp wrote in a message posted earlier this week to the SAA listserv.
The premise of American Digger, which is being hosted by a former professional wrestler, was laid out in a recent announcement by Spike TV. A team of “diggers” will “scour target-rich areas, such as battlefields and historic sites, in hopes of striking it rich by unearthing and selling rare pieces of American history.” Similar locales are featured in National Geographic’s Diggers. In the second episode, set in South Carolina, Revolutionary War and War of 1812 buttons, bullets, and coins were recovered at a former plantation.
After viewing the first two episodes of Diggers, Iowa’s State archaeologist John Doershuk posted a review to the American Cultural Resources Association listserv, in which he lamented: “The most damaging thing, I think, about this show is that no effort was made to document where anything came from or discussion of associations — each discovered item was handled piece-meal.”
H/T to A Blog About History for the link.
Archaeologist: “Regular people shouldn’t be allowed to dig up stuff left buried by previous generations.”
Regular Person: “Do you have any plans to ever dig that stuff up and put it on display, or preserve it?”
Archaeologist: “Well, no. It’s nothing special.”
Regular Person: “Most of the stuff they’re digging up will just eventually corrode or rot if left where it is, right?”
Archaeologist: “Well, yes. But it’ll be more scientific rot and corrosion!”
Comment by cirby — March 5, 2012 @ 14:41
You’re a big ol’ cynic, aren’t you cirby? 😉
Comment by Nicholas — March 5, 2012 @ 14:50