Artifacts, Childs argues, are best left where they originally landed, or in many cases where they were placed or buried with deliberate intent, but he acknowledges that achieving this ideal is challenging, given that the reasons are not rooted in archaeology as much as they are grounded in philosophy. “From the lowliest dirt geeks to credentialed excavators to the world’s biggest antiquities traffickers,” Childs says there are ethical and moral issues raised each time an artifact is removed from its initial location. In his deeply fascinating book “Finders Keepers: A Tale of Archaeological Plunder and Obsession,” author Craig Childs lifts the veil on the capricious world of antiquities, revealing what he calls the “underbelly of archaeology.” All humans leave a mark on this Earth, and while yesterday’s “stuff” is often considered trash, time inevitably turns much of that refuse into treasure. The story is a fascinating one, and it is a narrative in which all humans - past and present - are players. Mankind’s history is a curious thing, owned by all, but possessed by none. "Finders Keepers: A Tale of Archaeological Plunder and Obsession," by Craig Childs.
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