Is there a point to Archaeology?

[willybee]

I know a guy who brought a bone to the Missouri Archaeological
Society a couple months ago. I would just like to state up front-
this is not a particularly smart fella, but he is an EMT and he is
honest-not a trespassing meth snorting point stealing bastard.
He found it sticking out of a creek bank while floating-
no artifacts, just a big old bone.

He thought it might be important
and went RIGHT TO THE LOCAL COLLEGE archaeological department.
Several weeks later his ambulance was pulled over by the FBI-
he was taken from work and interrogated for several hours.
Turns out that creek was in a national park. Now he is being
PROSECUTED IN FEDERAL COURT.


This leads me to the point of this thread (besides learning to
NEVER TURN IN ANYTHING TO ANYONE!):
What is the point of archaeology?
Turns out nobody thinks there is much of one, even the archaeologists!
FAQ: Is archaeology worth it?


I love learning about the past, and just assumed it was important to know
whether or not CLOVIS was FIRST. Turns out it really isn't relevant to anything
besides maybe how valuable my Clovis point is on the collector market.
SERIOUSLY-it makes no differnce -there is no LESSON to be learned there.
It won't help ANYONE to know outside us few who care. literally THERE IS NO
PURPOSE for that information beyond I FIND IT INTERESTING.


Consequently, I think I may have been wrong all this time how important
preserving ANYTHING for archaeologists is-it really doesn't mean much in
terms of science- its a science with no point beyond I THINK ITS INTERESTING.


Now just think about that before you go getting all mad and posting
how IMPORTANT THE PAST IS-beyond not repeating mistakes, THE PAST
REALLY AINT THAT IMPORTANT-except to maybe us arrowhead hunters.
What do YOU think?

Seems to me the point of archaeology is to imprison anyone DWD
Digging Without Degree.
Willy

[PLS]

I like this post. It should get interesting.

Archaeology is good for...watching cool shows on the history channel. We get to hear theories that become fact in an hour or less.

I too am DWD, but refuse to go to a twelve step program.

[trobbi33]

Talk about a waist of federal money. He was doing the right thing and got screwed for it. What a joke!!

[John G. Scoggins]

Was the bone identified?

[marksimerson]

Assuming it was human?

[Palmwood]

Sounds like they had a bone to pick with him.
Now they will end up in court like two dogs fighting over a bone.
A real bone of contention over a bone-headed act.
He better bone up on his bone laws. They might try to get a search warrant and see if they can dig up any bones at his house.
He's really up a creek now. I wonder if he has a leg to stand on?

[joshuaream]

Willybee,

There has to be more to this story for the FBI to get involved and pull an ambulance over... Did the guy not know he was in a National Park? Did he try to sell it to the university? I think we are missing information here.

As for Archaeology, the point is simply knowledge.

[joshuaream]

Originally Posted by Palmwood

Sounds like they had a bone to pick with him.
Now they will end up in court like two dogs fighting over a bone.
A real bone of contention over a bone-headed act.
He better bone up on his bone laws. They might try to get a search warrant and see if they can dig up any bones at his house.
He's really up a creek now. I wonder if he has a leg to stand on?

The real bone of contention here is obvious, he didn't tickle the feds funny bone the right way. Any skeletons in his closet will see the light of day. After the lawyers get through with him, he'll be nothing but skin and bones.

[Panola]

looks like he's getting " boned "

[tomclark]

In this case:
He's an idiot
Archaeologists, at least the ones at that college and the Missouri Arch Soc., are idiots
State and Federal laws are idiotic because they are subject to "regulation" = interpretation.

Missouri, welcome to Florida, where fossil hunting is also regulated. Next is rocks.