I suspect this crew at a minimum to be scofflaws. If this cannon was indeed found in the bottom of a lake, especially one under the jurisdiction of the US Army Corps of Engineers, it is a violation of Title 36 regulations and the Archaeological Resource Protection Act (ARPA) to excavate, remove, damage, alter or deface any archaeological resource on government property. Any artifact found is government property. Removal of government property is a violation of Title 36, Part 327.14(a) Destruction, injury, defacement or removal of public property and carries a fine of at least $100. Any other artifact found on the surface or any artifact found by digging is protected under ARPA and is punishable by fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment not more than one year, or both. If the archaeological and restoration value exceeds $500, violation is punishable by fine of not more than $20,000 or not more than two years imprisonment, or both. Perhaps this is why they don't specifically mention which lake or exactly where the cannon and other items came from.
dan allen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Walter" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 4:12:26 PM
Subject: Re: American Diggers again (oh no, not again!)
Hi All,
IF you all, like me, were trying to explain this ethical problem to a bunch
of 10 to 15 year olds, what would YOU say?
I have a lot of impoverished students here, and money is a constant issue.
My summer classes begins in a couple weeks.
S. Walter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harding Polk" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 4:02 PM
Subject: American Diggers again (oh no, not again!)
Well they've done it again. AOL/HufffingtonPost posted another article on
American Diggers (see below). Arrrgh!
On the latest episode of “_American Digger_
(http://www.aoltv.com/show/american-digger/9057067) " (Wed., 10 p.m. ET on
Spike), Ric Savage and his crew
headed to Jamestown, Va., in search of colonial relics. But perhaps more
exciting than America’s origins was Ric Savage himself!
Savage stopped by the TVReplay studio to chat about his trip and the
amazing discovery he and the American Savage crew made: a British cannon
from
the 1700s.
After a freezing-cold dive, crew member Rue discovered it at the bottom of
a lake. The cannon, combined with a glass onion bottle and a grenade
fragment, got Ric a whopping $10,000. He called the weapon one of the most
important finds in his company’s history.
Watch our interview with Ric above – we talk British accents (he even did
one) and, of course, his “Boom Baby!” catchphrase. Indeed, Ric belted his
signature catchphrase for us – a priceless find in itself.
“American Digger” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on Spike.
Interesting they don't mention what lake, I'm suspecting maybe Lake
Champlain because of the cold and British references.
More curious is that he is heading to Jamestown VA. Now I know that the
entire Jamestown Island is owned by NPS, except for a ca. 10 acre parcel
owned by the Assoc. for Pres. of VA Antiquities where Jamestown Discovery
has
been excavating the original fort for the past 10 years plus. Adjacent on
the mainland is Jamestown Fort operated by the Jamestown/Yorktown
Foundation. I don't think any of them is interested in Ric Savage coming
to savage
their properties. Is he going to work offshore in the James River (like
Joel Shiner did in the 1950s) and thumb his nose at NPS and APVA? Even in
the river I'm sure he needs a state permit. There is a little private land
on the adjacent mainland.
Its unfortunate that they are getting continued national press, but I
suppose it is to be expected when they continue to find such "important"
artifacts (read: most $ for any one artifact). One wonders what the
disposition
and, more importantly, its condition is now that it is out of its mostly
stabilized underwater environment. I'm sure as we sit here and read, it is
popping, fizzing, flaking, and exfoliating as the oxidation process
(rusting) has been so suddenly accelerated.
My rant for today.
Harding Polk II
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