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Date: | Mon, 16 Jan 1995 22:13:47 EST |
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Regarding metal detector enthusiasts/pothunters,
I think there is a need not to throw the baby out with the
bathwater. First, in my humble way of thinking, a pothunter is different
than a metal detector enthusiast. The former are merely artifact hunters
and there is no way to employ them in credible archaeology. Some metal
detectior enthusiasts HAVE aided legitimate archaeology (you've all seen
the stories) by helping legitimate archaeologists without access to
sophisticated magnetometers find concentrations of materials. While they
(constructive metal detector enthusiasts) may be in the minority, condeming
all metal detector enthiusiasts smacks of the gun control arguments.
The challenge is to restrict the site destroyers and to educate
and channel the enthusiasts. There will always be more of them than us, and
they just gained control of congress.
--------
Byron A. Johnson, Exec. Dir.
Tampa Bay History Center
Tampa FL
[log in to unmask]
[My opinion, not necessarily that of my institution]
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