Easter Island vandalization-Aarrr!

M ELEY · 10th April 2008, 10:28 PM

I've read everyone's comments and, surprisingly, I agree with everyone despite different viewpoints. I guess in an ideal world, if discoveries in the modern era are found, those artifacts will hopefully be SHARED by both the finder and the host country (no more hauling away the pharoah's loot as in the past). I do think the finder should get a share of the find, however (think Mel Fisher and also this most recent treasure find that's causing so many bad feelings). The whole spoils of war and highest bidder think still turm my stomach, but that's part of life. I think the main emphasis in my orininal thread (sorry! Side-tracked

), was the destruction of the moa, or the Sphinx or the Acropolis, should have enormous penalties to dissuade it. If it's war, it should be a war crime. It's just like our namby-pamby laws with DUI. Overseas, the penalties are much harsher. Being a health-care provider, I can tell you the results of such activities. Same should go with the destruction of artifacts. I'm reminded of the American Art Deco period (1920's-30's) where many antiques were destroyed and made into 'objects de art'. I have seen Ming Dynasty bronze temple urns sawed in half and turned into lamps, swords cut down into candle sticks and in one of Fagan's catalogs, a 3 tiered lamp with welded Kula Khed helmets for shades. What a shame...

Rick · 11th April 2008, 02:15 AM

As I understand it the Village Elder where this crime ocurred was demanding the culprit's ear as compensation .

Too bad he did not get his way .

katana · 11th April 2008, 03:42 PM

I appreciate that the thread started with the story of an idiotic vandal ... but with various comments about ownership of cultural heritage etc I thought this may be relavent.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7334229.stm

This is the same story reported in Canada, but this has responses from readers....

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/sto...kh-armour.html

fernando · 11th April 2008, 05:33 PM

This type of ( forcingly political ) issues is allways amazing ... to give them a sporty name

Allways all parties trying to "bleech" the whatever raised examples to make their interests more benignous that those of the others, expelling any possible remorse from their own scene

.
It's a bit like discussing the sex of virgins, as we say over here

.
Eveybody sacks everything from everybody, as everybody sells everything to everybody; it's all a matter of context.
This is a dog world, that has allways been ruled by the law of the strongest.
As for collectors being the nice guys in the story, it depends on what they collect; there are even collectors of nations

10th April 2008, 10:28 PM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,201	I've read everyone's comments and, surprisingly, I agree with everyone despite different viewpoints. I guess in an ideal world, if discoveries in the modern era are found, those artifacts will hopefully be SHARED by both the finder and the host country (no more hauling away the pharoah's loot as in the past). I do think the finder should get a share of the find, however (think Mel Fisher and also this most recent treasure find that's causing so many bad feelings). The whole spoils of war and highest bidder think still turm my stomach, but that's part of life. I think the main emphasis in my orininal thread (sorry! Side-tracked ), was the destruction of the moa, or the Sphinx or the Acropolis, should have enormous penalties to dissuade it. If it's war, it should be a war crime. It's just like our namby-pamby laws with DUI. Overseas, the penalties are much harsher. Being a health-care provider, I can tell you the results of such activities. Same should go with the destruction of artifacts. I'm reminded of the American Art Deco period (1920's-30's) where many antiques were destroyed and made into 'objects de art'. I have seen Ming Dynasty bronze temple urns sawed in half and turned into lamps, swords cut down into candle sticks and in one of Fagan's catalogs, a 3 tiered lamp with welded Kula Khed helmets for shades. What a shame...

11th April 2008, 02:15 AM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,369	As I understand it the Village Elder where this crime ocurred was demanding the culprit's ear as compensation . Too bad he did not get his way .

11th April 2008, 03:42 PM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	I appreciate that the thread started with the story of an idiotic vandal ... but with various comments about ownership of cultural heritage etc I thought this may be relavent..... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7334229.stm This is the same story reported in Canada, but this has responses from readers.... http://www.cbc.ca/arts/artdesign/sto...kh-armour.html

11th April 2008, 05:33 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	This type of ( forcingly political ) issues is allways amazing ... to give them a sporty name Allways all parties trying to "bleech" the whatever raised examples to make their interests more benignous that those of the others, expelling any possible remorse from their own scene . It's a bit like discussing the sex of virgins, as we say over here . Eveybody sacks everything from everybody, as everybody sells everything to everybody; it's all a matter of context. This is a dog world, that has allways been ruled by the law of the strongest. As for collectors being the nice guys in the story, it depends on what they collect; there are even collectors of nations