G'day Y'all! Just returned from the BeadExpo in Santa Fe to find this response
to my letter concerning the Antiques Roadshow many of use found somewhat
disturbingl. Let's see if everyone who wrote gets the same response.
Notwithstanding, the response indicates that the AR will attempt to mention the
problems of looted material in a future show so our letters have apparently done
some good. Cheers, Karlis
Dear Ms. Karklins
Please forgive the time it has taken for me to reply to your concerns about
certain appraisal segments in our February 21 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW from Providence.
We heard from a number of individuals who, like you, were alarmed that our
presentation of archaeological items might encourage looting of sites and the
destruction of our cultural heritage. We're grateful that you informed us of
your concerns, and I can assure you that we take your comments seriously.
Part of the editorial mission of the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is to provide accurate,
dependable and insightful information about the preservation of historically
significant objects, well as their collection, presentation, and disposition.
In the future we intend to report on issues surrounding the collection of
artifacts and to place some of these often controversial matters in an
appropriate context.
Thanks again for writing.
Sincerely yours,
Peter B. Cook
Executive Producer
On Tuesday, February 22, 2000, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>Greetings! This note concerns the Antiques Roadshow broadcast televised from
>Rhode Island that premiered on 21 February 2000. During the program, three
items
>illegally removed from archaeological contexts in New York, South Carolina and
>Colombia were cheerfully authenticated and appraised by Roadshow staff. The
>U.S. and the individual states, as well as most countries around the world,
have
>antiquities laws that prohibit (or try to prohibit) the illegal excavation of
>cultural materials. By showing such items on nationwide television and telling
>people that their finds are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars can only
>increase the looting of cultural materials, depriving archaeologists and the
>public of irreplaceable knowledge. I sincerely hope that such material will
not
>be highlighted in future programs and also hope that some mention may be made
in
>a future show concerning the illegality of digging for artifacts. I realize
that
>people love to see items picked up at flea markets ending up being worth
>thousands of dollars, but it must be recognized that a flea market or attic
>trunk is quite different from an 18th-century midden or a burial mound. Many
>thanks for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely,
>
>Karlis Karklins
>Senior Material Culture Researcher
>Ontario Service Centre
>Parks Canada
>1600 Liverpool Court
>Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0M5
>
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