EISPIRATEN

I found a link to this LA Times story on another forum.

The story was interesting about the removal of native american artifacts and the consequences. Looking at the photo, I noticed an attribution for Bob Burd. The doctor is quoted in the story that a "blog" got him in trouble.

Next, I started searching Bob's blog and found this post with the incriminating photos.

I found this turn of events fascinating and somewhat disconcerting. Agents are reading at least some hiking blogs and taking action if they think a crime has taken place. Just something to think about when you are posting things online.

Wow, way to connect the dots. Interesting. Burd's TR's are a great resource (but sometimes need verifying - always verify!).

Uh, he had 20,000 artifacts in his home? And he thinks it was the blog that got him in trouble? Some people absolutely cannot take responsibility for their own actions. What a dipshit. Don't mess with Native American stuff. Everyone knows that.

BTW - I doubt government agents read Burd's blog. Maybe his blog post popped out in a keyword search. Or they were tipped off by another reader.

Bob Burd wrote:If you are offended by his actions, I urge you not to be. If he'd left it like I might have, it would soon been buried again in snow and would probably start to rot after a few years' exposure. At least now it has a chance of being preserved and may eventually make its way to someplace where its cultural significance (if any) can be studied and enjoyed.

That's some truly hilarious rationalizing. Mr. Burd, the expert on handling ancient artifacts.

Sean wrote: ↑Uh, he had 20,000 artifacts in his home? And he thinks it was the blog that got him in trouble? Some people absolutely cannot take responsibility for their own actions. What a dipshit. Don't mess with Native American stuff. Everyone knows that.

BTW - I doubt government agents read Burd's blog. Maybe his blog post popped out in a keyword search. Or they were tipped off by another reader.

It's not the count, it's the source of artifacts. They can be purchased, though many of them are contemporary fakes or collected from private land. Keep in mind, some "artifacts" are merly worked flakes of lithic material pottery shards. He should have known better, there may have been a US Iceman in that glacer, but mere possession of artifacts doesn't make him a "dipshit" just a collector. Prosecutors also like to inflate numbers to make the accused look bad.

There are indeed people observing discussions and sales of artifacts that lead to arrests. Looting on public and private land is a big problem.

There are thousands of artifacts rescued from construction sites and creek beds/banks that would be lost forever if not found by collectors. Public land off limits and private land without permission off limits as well. Dig sites should be explored by competent persons with permits to dig and study artifacts in situ. In some locations you can become an instant felon for picking up an interesting rock.

Gene wrote: ↑He should have known better, there may have been a US Iceman in that glacer, but mere possession of artifacts doesn't make him a "dipshit" just a collector.

He did know better. That's why he tried to lie about what he did. He's clearly been doing this for a long time.

He's not a dipshit for merely possessing artifacts. He's a dipshit for:

1. Blaming the blog for getting him in trouble.
2. Blaming the bow for getting him in trouble.
3. Looting the bow and other objects.
4. Looting while on a group hike.
5. Looting in the presence of a picture-taking blogger.
6. Then winkingly lying about looting to those who saw him looting.

There are thousands of artifacts rescued from construction sites and creek beds/banks that would be lost forever if not found by collectors.

Okay, but if they loot the artifacts from federal land, then they are stupid. Mark the location and report the find. Or risk being caught and banned from the land you love to explore.

Of course he is stupid and thank goodness he and most criminal are stupid braggards. Talking about their crimes gets many criminals caught. Taking the further step of documenting said crimes in a blog amounts to a gift for prosecutors. That said, I'd rather a idiot get caught by doing these things, than to successfully continue their thievery in secret.