Seeing a tomb opened live on TV changed my view on archaeology

I watched a documentary where they unsealed an Egyptian tomb for the cameras. Everyone was cheering, but I felt it was wrong. Most folks think finding new stuff is always good, but I believe some sites should stay shut. We might learn more by studying what's on the surface first. It just seems like respect for the past is getting lost in the rush to discover.

3 comments

3 Comments

henry_morgan2mo ago

That "respect for the past" line got me donating to groups that do scans before any digging.

diana872mo ago

The scans are great but I worry about who gets to keep the digital copies. I read about a project in Peru where the local community wasn't given access to their own 3D site models. The data just sits on some university server. That kind of tech should go both ways, not just let outside experts build their own private archives.

taylor.betty2mo ago

My one attempt at backyard archaeology just unearthed a soda can and my own shame.