| What If's &
What To Do's On this
page we will try to provide guidance to the public on
what to do when you find yourself in a situation
affecting the archaeology of Costa Rica and Central
America.
Looted Artifacts:
Buyers beware! In
today's world, the value of plundered artifacts is
greater than ever as so many want to be "collectors".
Some simply value these Prehispanic treasures for their
aesthetic value, others for their significance in
history, and others for pure profit motive.
Throughout the world, there
are countless dealers in these items. Yet few pay
much attention to the legality of what they sell, or
worse, knowingly sell looted artifacts. At best,
most simply turn a "blind eye" when it comes to
investigating the legality of their sale. But
there is something YOU can do!
Report ALL violators - literally,
you are doing a service for all humanity!
When you see Pre-columbian
Artifacts for sale, either online or physically, ask the
dealer for the provenance of the item (the history of
ownership), and documentation that the item was removed
from the host country legally. If they can not
provide this, chances are it is a looted and smuggled
item, or at a minimum a fake reproduction.
REPORT ALL LOOTING! AND TRAFFICKERS IN LOOTED ARTIFACTS
WHEREVER THEY MAY BE!
In the US just call
1-866-347-2423
By reporting the dealer, the item
might be recovered for humanity, and returned to the
country of origin! Just imagine how much has been
lost to private collectors that the rest of us will
never see! You can play an important roll in
preserving the past for us, for our children, and future
generations to come!
Archaeological Sites:
An archaeological site is not
a tourist play ground. They are incredibly fragile
remains of the past, and simply walking through a site
can destroy evidence of the past. We have all seen
the respect that is given to crime scenes on TV, to
preserve the forensic evidence - it is the same with an
archaeological site. Please respect posted signs
and play your part in preserving the past for our
future!
It is possible to live with our past!
All it takes is caring!"
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