(Sorry for the x-posts!)
 
In response to recent posts on relic collectors, etc., I have loaded a paper on relic collectors and collections in historical context at my www site:
 
<http://www.city-net.com/~davidsr/relics/>
 
or for those without Netscape 3.0 <http://www.city-net.com/~davidsr/relics/relics.htm>
 
Tha abstract for the paper reads:
 
ABSTRACT
 
     Relic collecting, as presented within this paper, is examined as a folk behavior. Individuals
outside of the professional realm of archaeology who collect and curate aboriginal artifacts
recovered from archaeological contexts in their homes historically have been problematic points of
contention for professionals. Many studies of amateur archaeologists have been conducted in the
past, yet none has viewed the behavior of relic collecting as traditional and culturally influenced.
By neglecting the cultural and historical aspects of collecting, we as professional archaeologists   
in our attempts to preserve archaeological resources    have only been treating the symptoms of a
larger cultural disease.
 
 
David Rotenstein
______________________________________
David S. Rotenstein, Ph.D.                                   
E-MAIL: [log in to unmask]                        
WWW: http://www.city-net.com/~davidsr/