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The remains of prehistoric and historic cultures belong to all of us. When artifacts are stolen and archeological sites are destroyed, we lose important clues about the past, forever. Once a site is disturbed, it becomes very difficult to learn what people did there. Without a detailed description of where an artifact was found and what it was associated with, it remains merely an object and cannot give us meaningful information about past human behavior. Illegal surface collecting and excavation, and malicious vandalism of sites and ruins, permanently destroys archeological resources, the non-renewable remains of America's heritage.
Twice the Federal government has passed laws to protect archeological resources. Both the Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA), as amended, make it illegal to excavate, remove, damage, alter or deface the material remains of human life and activity over 100 years old on Federal or Indian lands. The only exception to this is if the person(s) has a valid permit to conduct professional archeological research (ARPA permit). Fines of up to $250,000 and five years in jail are possible. Please report any violation or suspected violation you observe to the nearest National Park Service Ranger or U. S. Park Police Officer. If such information leads to a civil or criminal conviction you may receive a reward of up to $500.
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Two historic-period skulls from adult white males for sale at an outdoor antiques and collectibles show in Virginia.
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A sample of some 30 lbs. of Civil War artifacts confiscated from a person caught illegally collecting at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park by a Law Enforcement Park Ranger (the masonry trowel is for scale). |
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An NPS Park Ranger and U.S. Park Police Officer standing beside a looter's sifting screen, backdirt pile, and cache of artifacts at a historic archeological house site near Georgetown. |
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