Roberta Charpentier wrote on 11/30/97: "The story behind the collector is
almost as fascinating as the artifacts."
 
Does the collector have detailed documentation on the provenience, that
is, site, exact location in the site, stratigraphy, and association with
other artifacts? If the collection was not documented scientifically then
it is of virtually no scientific value and is just a bunch of junk better
suited for the trash dump. Hence, there would be no point in writing
about it or seeking funding.
 
If the items were excavated illegally, the museum has an ethical
obligation not to accept the items for curation or display. It would be a
further breach of ethics to publish a booklet on the material.
 
I do not know if this is the situation here, but it is a common one
facing small (and large) museums.
 
Bill Adams