You are on page 1of 5

Valerie Peters 11-22-13 Human Origins Anthropology Ethics Its been said that the best way to understand

the present is to understand the past. Scientists have been excavating sites and bringing back fossils, bones and remains for ages. By bringing these various artifacts back to the lab, scientists are able to study them thoroughly; down to their last detail. This kind of research is what brings us our knowledge and understanding of the past that is available to us today. When an ancient Indian burial ground is discovered, it has the potential to provide scientists with skeletal remains, pots and jars adorned with paintings of cultural behaviors, tools and jewelry. To a scientist, this means finding answers to the great unknown. To others, this may mean a chance to find some valuables to pawn or sell for a large sum, and to some, this might mean the graves of your people are being irrespectively torn apart and the valuables and possessions (including the body) that reside in those graves are being stolen. The problem here is: scientists and looters are going to be frequently digging up sites that others hold sacred. The question remained: who do the artifacts belong to and is it right to be taking them? These sites are viewed as opportunities for scientists. Those rummaging through digging sites for valuable vases, jars and jewels would often destroy other sources of knowledge in the process. It was this kind of behavior that required archaeologists to obtain permits before

digging. Congress ended up passing the Federal Antiques Act in 1906 which protected the sites from pot hunters and collectors-not from scientists-in order to protect the sites. Scientists are there to protect and preserve the site, not desecrate it." When one thinks about this issue from this
point of view, it is only logical to conclude that the best bits of information and research comes from the raw material found at the excavation sites. The government has passed laws to allow archaeologists to legally dig through burials to unearth forgotten history and to salvage the past before progress destroys it.

Grave sites and ruins that hold many ancient artifacts and historical significance are thought to be sacred to the native people of those areas. From their point of view, the bones of their ancestors are being taken (or stolen) from their resting place for years and placed in the open to be gawked at. Some believe they are culturally connected to either the sites or the bones and pots buried in them. There have been some cases where the bones were given back after it could be proven that the bones were somehow related to a distant relative. When this issue is looked at this way, their property and what they believe belongs to them is being destroyed and disrespected. I can understand how these sites would be important-both to the natives that lived there and/or had ancestors living there, and to the scientists that consider the sites to be full of answers to the great unknown. The artifacts hidden there are precious and should be treated that way, not broken, stolen and sold to the highest bidder. To me, they are aids to further historical knowledge and understanding. While I was researching this topic, I was already partial to siding on the scientists side. I love history and Id hate to think we could have access to it. While reading the other side, I felt I could sympathize with those who believe their culture is

being stolen. My position became stronger with the more research I did. I believe that scientists would want to preserve the sources they got their information from. I think they would respect the items and skeletons they take back for research. If scientists didnt excavate and bring their findings back to their labs, we would know significantly less and have far less information about human history. I think as long as scientists are respecting the land and the people and respecting and taking care of the artifacts theyre finding, that its not unethical to be taking the findings back to the labs to be studied. It is because of that research that we have the opportunity to further educate ourselves.

Works Cited Roberson, J. (2012). The Glen Cove Development Will Not Disrupt or Desecrate a Sacred Native American Burial Ground. In L. M. Zott (Ed.), Opposing Viewpoints. Native Americans. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Glen Cove Site: Separating Fact from Fiction, Vallejo Times-Herald, 2011, April 21) http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Mayorwhosebones.pdf Thieves of time: Who owns the past? (1992). Films On Demand. Retrieved November 22, 2013, from http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=1835&xtid=33510

Multi-Media Project

All over the world, there are bones in the ground Full of secrets and stories, waiting to be found. Ancient tools and lost languages awaiting translation Sought out by a scholar on his own excavation. In some circumstances, these lands are protected Some dont think their ancestors should be collected When one feels their history might be destroyed It results in a culture thats rather annoyed. But without grandpas bones, wed know hardly a thing Just think of the knowledge and facts he could bring.

You might also like