At what point or under what conditions does graverobbing become archaeology?

Question

At what point or under what conditions does graverobbing become archaeology?

Answer 1

I would imagine it is when the act carries no financial benefit.

Answer 2

I would presume that grave robbery is against the law as remains are very sacred.  Archaeology would be research with a Government's approval.

Answer 3

Great question!

I guess that is one of those things that depends largely on your point of view! One person might believe her actions constitute valuable research while those same actions are viewed by others as depraved disrespect for a sacred space.

Where is that line??

Answer 4

Awesome!  The answer to this question is all archeology is grave robbing, it just depends on if anyone is around to yell about it and how loud can they yell.  It also depends on things like who is funding it?  Is it a university?  museum?  or privately funded?  Where will the items found be displayed?  In a public museum?  In a private collection?  Will they be sold?  Who will they be sold to?  Was permission obtained to remove the items?  By who?  Is this considered legitimate?

I am a cultural anthropologist interested in intellectual property rights which deals with not only these questions but ands the complication of intangibility of the objects of study and the divisible nature of information (it can be shared without taking away from the original).

What do these questions have to tell us about the Elgan Marbles?  The Egyptian obelisk in Paris?  Pre-Columbian mortuary items in private American and European collections?

Look at a book called "Stealing History" by Roger Atwood.  Excelent look at the tombs at Sipan in Peru and compared to the ruins of Babylon after the first Gulf war and Angkor Wat.