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ANT 102: Archaeology: Mysteries and Controversies
                 Nov. 12th: Looting
 Looting: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain,
   without paying any attention to archaeological context
Looting: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain,
              without paying any attention to archaeological context

Aspects of Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences
1. Recognizing multiple dimensions to a good question

2. Recognizing multiple answers to a question or a problem

3. Evaluating evidence
4. Developing potential solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning

5. Exploring the ethical implications of differing approaches, methods or conclusions
Looting: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain,
              without paying any attention to archaeological context

Aspects of Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences
1. Recognizing multiple dimensions to a good question

2. Recognizing multiple answers to a question or a problem

3. Evaluating evidence
4. Developing potential solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning

5. Exploring the ethical implications of differing approaches, methods or conclusions
General introduction to looting
         What, who, why, how

What is the scale of looting?

Why looting is bad

Is there anything good about looting?

Who should be blamed?

Can looting be stopped? How?
An imagined
prop based on


         …An authentic Aztec representation
         of Tlazolteotl, the Aztec goddess of
         childbirth, filth, sin, and regeneration
         1400 AD.
Slack Farm, Kentucky
Slack Farm,
               Union County,
                   Kentucky




Dennis Banks
Slack Farm,
Union County,
    Kentucky




                Aurich site, pacific coast of Peru
General introduction to looting

  What: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain,
   without paying any attention to archaeological context

   Who: Collectors (aristocrats), dealers (aristocrats), middle men, looters (poor people)

   Why: Money, Curiosity, Cultural Capital (prestige)

   How: from collecting arrowheads, to digging holes with pick and shovel,
     to mass destruction of ruins by bulldozers and other heavy machinery
Scale of looting




                   Aurich site, pacific coast of Peru
Classic Mimbres pots
(1000-1130 A.D.)
Arizona and New Mexico.
Looter’s trench in
a Maya mound in
Belize, Central America
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites
Looted Maya mound in
Belize, Central America




                          Aurich site, Peru



      Slack Farm,
      Kentucky
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information
         Slack farm case: lost opportunities to learn about…
             a) Trade and exchange
              b) Nutrition, disease, age at death, genetic relatedness
              c) Impact of European contact on native health
              d) Impact of European contact on local economy, politics, ritual
              e) Relation between Slack Farm people and contemporary tribes

                              Slack Farm,
                              Kentucky
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information

    3. Loss of context

           --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for



                  stone basin --grinding food?
                              --grinding minerals?
                              --collecting water?
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information

    3. Loss of context

           --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for



                  stone basin --grinding corn?
                              --grinding minerals
                              --collecting water?




                                                       Maya inkwell carved with glyphs
                                                         that talk of a scribe/painter
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information

    3. Loss of context

           --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for



                  stone basin --grinding corn?
                              --grinding minerals?
                              --collecting water?
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information

    3. Loss of context

           --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for
          --Stratigraphic context of an artifact often tells us how old it is



               Stratigraphy
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information

    3. Loss of context

           --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for
          --Stratigraphic context of an artifact is found often tells us how old it is
          --What an artifact is found with can tell us about trade and long distance contact
Representation of Andean Staff god, from
Screen capture from Raiders of the lost Arc      the site of Tiwanaku, Bolivia (circa 800 AD)




                                              Stone-work from Maya area, Mexico (circa 800 AD)
Very specific case study about the info.
we lose when we do not have context



Maya vase:
approx. 700 AD
Holmul

Tikal
                               Cahal
                  Buenavista   Pech

        Naranjo




          Ucanal

                        Caracol
hieroglyphs




        Holmul

Tikal
                               Cahal
                  Buenavista   Pech

        Naranjo




          Ucanal

                        Caracol
Holmul

                                                             Tikal
                                                                                            Cahal
                                                                               Buenavista   Pech

                                                                     Naranjo




                                                                       Ucanal

                                                                                     Caracol



Owned by K’ak Til of Naranjo   Owned by Itsam Balam
 (according to hieroglyphs)         Of Ucanal
                                (according to hieroglyphs)
What we can say WITHOUT context?

      Part of Holmul style, Guatemala
      Used for drinking chocolate
      Owner was K’ak Til from Naranjo
      Painter was Ah Maxam, a well-known master

We can’t say as much about most looted artifacts


What we can say WITH context?
Holmul

                                                           Tikal
                                                                                          Cahal
                                                                             Buenavista   Pech

                                                                   Naranjo




                                                                     Ucanal

This pot, known as the Buenavista Vase, was excavated                              Caracol
from a nobleman’s tomb at the Belizean site of Buenvista
What we can say WITHOUT context?

      Part of Holmul style, Guatemala
     Used for drinking chocolate
     Owner was K’ak Til from Naranjo
     Painter was Ah Maxam, a master


Additional things we can learn WITH context

      It was found at the ruin of Buenavista, in Belize
     Found in a burial
      Final usage was not for drinking cacao
     It was found in a burial of a young nobleman

     K’ak Til was NOT the final owner

     Tells us about gift exchange among kings and subordinate leaders,
              a strategy for consolidating power.
Problems with looting

    1. Destruction of archaeological sites

    2. Loss of information

    3. Loss of context
    4. It is stealing

                               Hauberg stela

                               Maya culture

                               Probably from
                               Guatemala (now
                               in a vault in
                               Seattle) but
                               since it is looted
                               we don’t know
                               where it is from.
Is there anything good about looting?

1) Developing countries do not have the resources to preserve the past so it
   is better to loot artifacts and smuggle them to countries with more resources
       --Poor quality museum and storage space
           NOT NECESSARILY TRUE!
Royal tomb of Sipan, Pacific coast of Peru
Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipan,
 Located in the city of Chiclayo, Peru

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Wk 13 looting part 1

  • 1. ANT 102: Archaeology: Mysteries and Controversies Nov. 12th: Looting Looting: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain, without paying any attention to archaeological context
  • 2. Looting: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain, without paying any attention to archaeological context Aspects of Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences 1. Recognizing multiple dimensions to a good question 2. Recognizing multiple answers to a question or a problem 3. Evaluating evidence 4. Developing potential solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning 5. Exploring the ethical implications of differing approaches, methods or conclusions
  • 3. Looting: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain, without paying any attention to archaeological context Aspects of Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences 1. Recognizing multiple dimensions to a good question 2. Recognizing multiple answers to a question or a problem 3. Evaluating evidence 4. Developing potential solutions to problems based on sound evidence and reasoning 5. Exploring the ethical implications of differing approaches, methods or conclusions
  • 4. General introduction to looting What, who, why, how What is the scale of looting? Why looting is bad Is there anything good about looting? Who should be blamed? Can looting be stopped? How?
  • 5. An imagined prop based on …An authentic Aztec representation of Tlazolteotl, the Aztec goddess of childbirth, filth, sin, and regeneration 1400 AD.
  • 7. Slack Farm, Union County, Kentucky Dennis Banks
  • 8. Slack Farm, Union County, Kentucky Aurich site, pacific coast of Peru
  • 9.
  • 10.
  • 11.
  • 12. General introduction to looting What: Taking ancient artifacts, usually for personal gain, without paying any attention to archaeological context Who: Collectors (aristocrats), dealers (aristocrats), middle men, looters (poor people) Why: Money, Curiosity, Cultural Capital (prestige) How: from collecting arrowheads, to digging holes with pick and shovel, to mass destruction of ruins by bulldozers and other heavy machinery
  • 13. Scale of looting Aurich site, pacific coast of Peru
  • 14. Classic Mimbres pots (1000-1130 A.D.) Arizona and New Mexico.
  • 15. Looter’s trench in a Maya mound in Belize, Central America
  • 16. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites
  • 17. Looted Maya mound in Belize, Central America Aurich site, Peru Slack Farm, Kentucky
  • 18. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information Slack farm case: lost opportunities to learn about… a) Trade and exchange b) Nutrition, disease, age at death, genetic relatedness c) Impact of European contact on native health d) Impact of European contact on local economy, politics, ritual e) Relation between Slack Farm people and contemporary tribes Slack Farm, Kentucky
  • 19. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information 3. Loss of context --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for stone basin --grinding food? --grinding minerals? --collecting water?
  • 20. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information 3. Loss of context --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for stone basin --grinding corn? --grinding minerals --collecting water? Maya inkwell carved with glyphs that talk of a scribe/painter
  • 21. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information 3. Loss of context --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for stone basin --grinding corn? --grinding minerals? --collecting water?
  • 22. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information 3. Loss of context --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for --Stratigraphic context of an artifact often tells us how old it is Stratigraphy
  • 23. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information 3. Loss of context --Where an artifact is found and what it is found with tells us what it was for --Stratigraphic context of an artifact is found often tells us how old it is --What an artifact is found with can tell us about trade and long distance contact
  • 24. Representation of Andean Staff god, from Screen capture from Raiders of the lost Arc the site of Tiwanaku, Bolivia (circa 800 AD) Stone-work from Maya area, Mexico (circa 800 AD)
  • 25. Very specific case study about the info. we lose when we do not have context Maya vase: approx. 700 AD
  • 26. Holmul Tikal Cahal Buenavista Pech Naranjo Ucanal Caracol
  • 27. hieroglyphs Holmul Tikal Cahal Buenavista Pech Naranjo Ucanal Caracol
  • 28. Holmul Tikal Cahal Buenavista Pech Naranjo Ucanal Caracol Owned by K’ak Til of Naranjo Owned by Itsam Balam (according to hieroglyphs) Of Ucanal (according to hieroglyphs)
  • 29. What we can say WITHOUT context? Part of Holmul style, Guatemala Used for drinking chocolate Owner was K’ak Til from Naranjo Painter was Ah Maxam, a well-known master We can’t say as much about most looted artifacts What we can say WITH context?
  • 30. Holmul Tikal Cahal Buenavista Pech Naranjo Ucanal This pot, known as the Buenavista Vase, was excavated Caracol from a nobleman’s tomb at the Belizean site of Buenvista
  • 31. What we can say WITHOUT context? Part of Holmul style, Guatemala Used for drinking chocolate Owner was K’ak Til from Naranjo Painter was Ah Maxam, a master Additional things we can learn WITH context It was found at the ruin of Buenavista, in Belize Found in a burial Final usage was not for drinking cacao It was found in a burial of a young nobleman K’ak Til was NOT the final owner Tells us about gift exchange among kings and subordinate leaders, a strategy for consolidating power.
  • 32. Problems with looting 1. Destruction of archaeological sites 2. Loss of information 3. Loss of context 4. It is stealing Hauberg stela Maya culture Probably from Guatemala (now in a vault in Seattle) but since it is looted we don’t know where it is from.
  • 33. Is there anything good about looting? 1) Developing countries do not have the resources to preserve the past so it is better to loot artifacts and smuggle them to countries with more resources --Poor quality museum and storage space NOT NECESSARILY TRUE!
  • 34. Royal tomb of Sipan, Pacific coast of Peru
  • 35.
  • 36.
  • 37.
  • 38.
  • 39.
  • 40.
  • 41.
  • 42.
  • 43.
  • 44.
  • 45.
  • 46.
  • 47.
  • 48. Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipan, Located in the city of Chiclayo, Peru