Hey All:

The actual amount of published, non-grey literature on
Civil War battlefield site archaeology is somewhat
slim compared to the volume produced on other other
subjects of study within our field.  I don't think
that "countless" is quite the right word to describe
what is readily available on the subject...

Dane Magoon


--- "Vergil E. Noble" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I am rather mystified by his remark:
>
> "Relic Hunters are responsible for hundreds of books
> and articles on the
> minutia of camplife, battlefield troop positions,
> equipment, etc.  I have
> yet to see one book emanating from professional
> archaeological field digs.
> Not one book.  Not even an article."
>
> Obviously he hasn't looked very hard. Granted most
> of the published works
> would not be found in one's local library, but a
> quick search of the
> Internet or a trip down to a full-service bookstore
> would locate countless
> references readily available to the public on
> subjects to which he is
> devoted. He alludes to collaboration between the NPS
> and relic collectors,
> and indeed metal-detecting groups have worked
> closely with archeologists as
> volunteers on many a battlefield project. You might
> tell your correspondent
> that there's at least four books available at
> Amazon.com by Doug Scott on
> projects he accomplished with such collaboration at
> the Little Bighorn
> Battlefield in Montana.
>
>
>
>
>
>                       Randy
>                       Lichtenberger            To:
>     [log in to unmask]
>                       <Randy@POPLARFORE        cc:
>     (bcc: Vergil Noble/MWAC/NPS)
>                       ST.ORG>
> Subject:  Relic Hunting Dialogue Anyone?
>                       Sent by:
>                       HISTORICAL
>                       ARCHAEOLOGY
>                       <[log in to unmask]
>                       >
>
>
>                       09/10/04 08:27 AM
>                       AST
>                       Please respond to
>                       HISTORICAL
>                       ARCHAEOLOGY
>
>
>
>
>
>
> All,
> I received the following rant last night from one of
> the "authors" who
> participated in "Diggin' in Virginia I."  The full
> text of his email along
> with my response follows.  Comments?
> Randy
>
> >From: "Steve Sylvia" <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Diggin In Virginia
> >Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 15:24:42 -0400
> >
> >Mr. Lichtenberger,
> >
> >I read a posting you made recently regarding
> Diggin' in Virginia.  It
> >seemed evident to me that you are unaware of the
> circumstances
> >surrounding the event.  I am keenly aware of the
> depredations made by a
> >selfish and criminal element within the ranks of
> relic hunters.  Such an
> >element should not define the whole.  I am sure
> there is an unsavory
> >element within the ranks of professional
> archaeologists also.  The dark
> >side of human nature will rear its ugly head
> regardless of profession.
> >However, to condemn all relic hunters, as most of
> your profession are
> >wont to do, is quite vexing to those of us in the
> majority.  (I don't
> >believe today's archaeologists would care to be
> defined by the illegal
> >and immoral undertakings of those who have pillaged
> Egypt's tombs for
> >over a century.)
> >
> >Your recent post is a case in point.  It seems
> that, in your zeal to
> >disparage all relic hunting activities, you are
> willing to forsake the
> >very tenets which rule your own
> profession-research, investigation,
> >examination, evaluation, etc.  Had you performed
> those you would have
> >discovered that this particular event was a salvage
> operation.  The
> >three acres involved were on the cusp of
> development.  The dig was
> >conducted several weeks prior to total destruction
> by developers.  The
> >entire site is now gone-bulldozed, landscaped, and
> built upon.
> >
> >Our efforts resulted in identifying the occupants
> (4th Michigan Inf.),
> >identifying the time and duration of occupancy
> (fall 1862-spring 1863),
> >mapping the camp layout and hut positions via GPS,
> and the recovery and
> >recording of hundreds of artifacts.  Furthermore,
> several professional
> >archaeologists were involved in the effort.  They
> offered advice and
> >assistance with several aspects of the dig.  The
> results of the dig were
> >written and published in North South Trader's Civil
> War magazine.
> >
> >Your threat to alert the Virginia archaeological
> community of this
> >"depredation" would prove embarrassing to you once
> the facts were
> >known--facts that you should have availed yourself
> of before ringing an
> >alarm bell.
> >
> >Your concern with "high dollar" relic hunting is
> also not pertinent to
> >this particular event.  The organization sponsoring
> this event is a
> >non-profit outfit.  The amateurs actually paid to
> dig in the rain for
> >three days in order to "buy" permission from the
> landowner to descend on
> >his property.
> >
> >Archaeology is a paid profession.  Our only pay is
> the pleasure derived
> >from recovery itself.  Granted, the relics have
> monetary value, but the
> >value of the relics against the time involved for
> recovery would equate
> >to about a dollar an hour.  I'm sure you make more
> than that!
> >
> >I realize that your methodology is archaic, pardon
> the pun, for the
> >purposes of salvage archaeology-you can't excavate
> three acres of hut
> >sites in three days with garden trowels and
> toothbrushes-but you might
> >consider the enormous benefit derived in such
> situations by us amateurs
> >with our demonic metal detectors.  We, as a group,
> have contributed
> >greatly to the pool of knowledge about the Civil
> War.  Relic hunters are
> >responsible for hundreds of books and articles on
> the minutia of camp
> >life, battlefield troop positions, equipment, etc.
> I have yet to see
> >one book emanating from professional archaeological
> field digs.  Not one
> >book.  Not even an article.
> >
> >I, for one, would certainly be interested in a
> dialogue with someone
> >such as you for the purpose of clarifying motives
> and, most important,
> >results.  Perhaps, one day, a collaborative effort
> such as those with
> >the National Park Service could be effected between
> us amateurs and you
> >professionals here in Virginia.
> >
> >Stephen W. Sylvia
> >
> >Publisher
> >
> >North South Trader's Civil War magazine
>
> My response 9/10/04
>
> Mr. Sylvia,
>
>         I am glad that my recent posting on the
> subject of "Diggin' in
> Virginia" has come to your attention.  I would hope
> that
=== message truncated ===


=====
Dane Magoon
Project Manager/Principal Investigator
Cultural Resources, Inc.
710 Littlepage Street, Suite C
Fredericksburg, VA  22401

Phone:   (540) 370-1973
Fax:     (540) 370-0904
E-mail:  [log in to unmask]




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