Need some help ....

[rip]

Years ago as a boy i used to hunt artifacts at the site of an indian village here in Upstate NY.The land was owned by a close family friend "Charlie" Back in the 70's one of the collages did a dig there,but I'm not sure exactly what they found.I know that Charlie found a large collection of artifacts and even found a human skull that i beleve was given to his neghbor who was a school teacher.Now I have heard that a local auction house has offered to lease the rights to dig the entire area to, in my opinion, rape it of artifacts strictly for proffit.I hope that this doesent happen and have been thinking of how i could help to mabey prevent this from happening.Any ideas ?

[creekrat]

cant see doing some thing like that ,Indian burial ground should be of limits to any kind of diggin.guess you could call archaeologist in that area they may have some input.hope you luck with this hopefully it will get took care of...creek

[janiece]

I'm surprised that some Native American groups haven't jumped on this if it has been published at all. They fought and succeeded in getting the burial display closed at Dickson Mounds in IL and also in bringing about the end if Chief Illiniwek at the U of I. It took them several years in each case and both the museum and the university are state institutions but I don't think they are afraid to take on private issues.

I don't see that you've said this is a burial ground and truthfully, I am on the fence on this. Would we feel differently about it if it was a private individual who was going to dig to fill his own collection? Is the issue that it's going to be leased to one person/company and no one else will ever walk the area and find relics again? Is it the idea of profit? What if the land owner was going to excavate the area himself over the years instead of leasing it to an auction company?

For me, I think the difference is that it's a company that wants to go into it purely for profit. There's no hobby or sense of wonder for them. I think that's what I find most offensive. Wholesale destruction and harvesting for profit.

Sorry, just some rambling thoughts from me when I should be getting ready for work.

[rip]

I have sent emails to a lawyer in DC that works for native Americans and to the Iroquois tribal council but havent heard back yet.The people trying to do this are strickly in it for profit and there plan is to go in with heavy equipment and dig the whole area.knowone has did any diggng there since the 70's and it also hasent been plowed in years.I would love to see it excavated by pro's but that isent the case,the only motive here is greed.

[JoAnne]

Hummm - good question about what to do. You have contacted the indian tribe that was in that area so that is a good first. What about contacting the local historical society to see if they can help. The only problem you will probaby run into is they will then make it a historical site and no one will be able to hunt it. How about your legislators? What about contacting the present land owner and telling them how you feel. Maybe they will grant you permission to hunt before the auction place does. Is there a local metal detecting club that may be able to ban together to lease the land first? Is this a done deal? Has the auction house bought the rights to it already or are you trying to stop it before it happens? If that is the case you may try praying real hard that the deal does not go thru. Anythng I can do to help let me know RIP.

[catfish]

Since a skull was found there it has burials present. It is a felony to disturb graves and many of the artifacts found there could be considered funerary objects. NAGPRA would cover this and by law all objects would be protected and it would be illegal for anyone to excavate the site without permits.

Even if a university or a museum would excavate the area the artifacts usually get locked away in a drawer or box and they are gone forever until they need money and auction the items themseves. If NAGPRA covers the site all artifacts found would have to be returned to a tribe who probably are not even actual decendants of the people that actually made the artifact.

I love collecting artifacts but the laws still have to be followed whether we agree with them or not. Since moving to Alabama last year I have basically quit collecting. I'm not certain but I believe it is a class 3 felony to pick up artifacts along the rivers here.

Just remember the way it usually goes archaeologists are scholars and people who collect artifacts are looters. I guess that I am proud to be a looter for walking miles through the mud collecting artifacts along the rivers.

[Toadie]

Contact the media and several local universities in the area. In depth media coverage usually makes the bigger corporations back off or follow strict guidelines due to Public Relations. It may not end the problem, but the media covering the rape of the burial grounds may create such an outcry among the public that the deal falls through. Here in Texas we have Investigative Reporters for several news channels and I am sure there are some up your way as well.

Same goes for the major newspapers.

Meanwhile, I will prowl around and rattle some windows and see what can be done.. You can possibly find help by going here,

The Seneca Nation of Indians

and getting the ball rolling. Lots of contacts for you that are in your area. Even if it is not from their tribe they should be able to put you in touch with the right people...

Good luck....

James

[rip]

Thanks for the input y'all. 1'st of all though i dont think this was a burial ground.That as far as i know hasent been found.My buddy Dan has talked to the landowner and he thinks that the landowner is'ent going to do the deal.In the meantime i have sent emails to some of the tribes and to a lawer in DC that handels Indian affars.I am going to cheak the site today to see if anything has been disturbed there yet.
Also whant to thank James for the list of email address's,as i dident have thous and will be sending some more emails to them. So far i havent receved any replies to my other emails.
Joanne,as far as i know knowone has searched this spot since the last time it was plowed in the 70's.I have always had permission to search it but have'ent done so cus it is to overgrown.Also the site is relitivly new so i dont know what these people expect to find that is so valuable.Thanks for the offer to help out !
I also posted this on tnet and was very dissapointed in some of the replies i got.They were saying that it was no big deal,and that not all sites could be saved.My replie was that i realize that but how many sites HAVE been saved.Would it be ok to give digging rights to one person to say dig up the Gettysburg battlefield or to dig Arlington cemetary ? I know people that work for the highway dept.that told me when they were building I-88 that they found many sites and just covered them up so that it wouldent delay progress !This sort of thing happens every day.I just think that it is realy sad that so few people care what happens to these sites.