Is there such a thing as an artifact license?

Question

Can anyone collect artifacts simply because we get a license to do so? Is there even such a thing as an artifact license?

Answer 1

Archaeologists usually have to obtain permits to carry out fieldwork. Removing artifacts from federal lands (state and national parks, forests, and national monuments) without a permit can result in hefty fines and substantial jail time. In applying for a permit, they must demonstrate that they are qualified to do so (that is, be trained in archaeology) and make a good case for why they should be able to do that fieldwork.  Illegally collection artifacts is called looting and "pot hunting" (even when you're not going after just pots) and very much looked down upon by archaeologists.  

However, it is not illegal to remove artifacts from your own land in the US, though people who aren't archaeologists should never try to do their own digs even on their own property. Though, surface finds such as stone tools in a farmer's field are of limited interpretive value to archaeologists since they have been plowed and eroded out of context. Other archaeologists might disagree, but generally I think collecting things you might find laying around outside your home isn't destroying the archaeological record since they are already out of context anyway.

Oftentimes though, people who collect artifacts, legally or illegally, without being trained in how to properly do so  are effectively destroying valuable information because they don't know what kind of information to record, and once the artifact has been removed from where it's found, that information is lost forever. Where an artifact is found- not only general location but its exact place in relation to other nearby artifacts and so forth- is as important as the artifact itself.

Hope that provided you the information you are looking for, and also a bit of an explanation as to why such rules are in place. :)

Answer 2

Such collecting is called "pot hunting." In many cases the pots are grave goods and to get the pot one must toss the bones.

Generally artifact collecting (pot hunting) is prohibited on federal land. It's allowed on private land with the consent of the owner. We once worked a site that was listed in several publications as a 'great place to find arrowheads." We even had collectors show up to "help."

The great problem is a lot of information is destroyed by pot hunters. Worse, sites are ravaged long before archaeologists hear about them.

Many organizations accept volunteers to do archeology. No you don't get to keep the stuff.

Answer 3

No such thing.

The "license" if you want to call it that comes with a degree in archeology. Those professionals are given a "license" to research, investigate and bring forth any artifact which they discover. It is similar to a "poetic license". No such thing either just a term used in the trade.