[meteorite-list] Willamette, again

From: E.P. Grondine <epgrondine_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:22:54 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <620953.88473.qm_at_web36906.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Hi all -

A couple more points to consider:

1) When considering Willamette, consider how Greece is after the British Museum for the Elgin Marbles, and Egypt is after the British Museum for the Rosetta Stone and after the Germans for Nefertiti's bust. You may not think this applies, but GR is a sovereign nation as well (that's why they have the casino). Ordinary US commercial law may not apply.

2) From what I know of practices in the East, about the only use parts of slices are appropriate for is for wear around the neck on deer skin strings. I don't know if this holds for the GR peoples. It might offset the slicing, perhaps Matt may want to contact them about this possibility as a way out, but only if all that he had were offered, with cost recovery and any profit used appropriately.

3) Darryl has his view of the GR-AMNH settlement, but it looks to me like rent, with the main mass to be returned when practicable. I'm no lawyer, but I feel that AMNH kind of left Darryl in a really bad spot.

4) As Darryl has already learned, dealing Native American artifacts can bring "Maeche Katet", really bad luck. That's why experienced stone artifact collectors never dig graves or village sites, but rely on field finds or village sites that are being lost to other causes.

If any of you meteorite hunters ever find a meteorite in what turns out to be a Native American site during your hunts, perhaps the best thing to do would be either to leave it there, or make sure it gets into the hands of the sites current caretakers.

5) As Martin has pointed out, if state or federal laws are put in place, it could really cripple meteorite recovery and science.

E.P. Grondine
Man and Impact in the Americas

 




      
Received on Sun 13 Dec 2009 03:22:54 PM PST