Treasure-hunting (summary)

[clapec]

Hi,
Could you please tell me whether this summary contains any mistakes?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much!


Treasure-hunting

This passage deals with the problem of treasure-hunting. Treasure-hunters are amateur archaeologists who, equipped with metal detectors, set off looking for antiquities during their spare time and remove them from the archaeological sites in which they are contained.
Their activity is a threat to Europe’s cultural inheritance, inasmuch as it leads to the deterioration and destruction of heritage sites. European parliamentarians have therefore felt compelled to take measures to protect national heritages against treasure-hunting.
During a parliamentary hearing held in Paris last year, amateur archaeologists were accused of damaging archaeological sites with their inexpert excavations; moreover, it was said that they should not keep their valuable finds. In response, treasure-hunters maintained the healthiness and usefulness of their hobby and claimed that unearthing metal objects prevents them from being damaged by fertilizers and pesticides.

 

[maxiogee]

Hi,
Could you please tell me whether this summary contains any mistakes?

I would query just one word… healthiness.
I don't see why the treasure-hunters would mention that. Could it be a mistranslation?

 

[clapec]

Hi,
Thank you very much for your reply.
In the passage, treasure-hunting was referred to as a "healthy leisure-time activity"; that's why I used that adjective
Could you please suggest a better alternative? Could innocuousness / harmlessness be appropriate in this context?
Thank you again for your help.

 

[maxiogee]

In that case it's probably alright to use "healthiness", but I fail to see their point.
I see nothing inherently healthy in walking across fields with a metal detector, other than the same fresh air which one would get on a good walk.

Harmlessness/innocuousness might be taken to mean "not harmful to the archeaological sites" and should probably be avoided.

 

[la reine victoria]

Hi,
Could you please tell me whether this summary contains any mistakes?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much!


Treasure-hunting

This passage deals with the problem of treasure-hunting. Treasure-hunters are amateur archaeologists who, equipped with metal detectors, set off looking for antiquities during their spare time and remove them from the archaeological sites in which they are contained.
Their activity is a threat to Europe’s cultural inheritance, inasmuch as it leads to the deterioration and destruction of heritage sites. European parliamentarians have therefore felt compelled to take measures to protect national heritages against treasure-hunting.
During a parliamentary hearing held in Paris last year, amateur archaeologists were accused of damaging archaeological sites with their inexpert excavations; moreover, it was said that they should not keep their valuable finds. In response, treasure-hunters maintained the healthiness and usefulness of their hobby and claimed that unearthing metal objects prevents them from being damaged by fertilizers and pesticides. Humbug!

Hello Clapec,

As an archaeologist I just wrote a lengthy reply to you. As sometimes happens on WR it got lost when my Broadband connection failed momentarily. This time I will keep my reply shorter.

I take issue with calling these people "amateur archaeologists". Most of them have no interest at all in archaeology. When taking valuable artefacts from a site they pay no attention to the fact that they are destroying soil strata which are essential to the archaeologist for dating the site and seeing the emerging pattern of historical occupation. Many ancient sites have been occupied by different people over centuries - they all leave evidence of their culture.

So I would call these people "professional looters". There is a high ethical code amongst archaeologists which ensures that our heritage is availlabe for everybody to share. The "looters" are interested only in their own personal gain.

Please ignore my "Humbug!" remark. I was simply voicing my opinion.

Your summary is excellent and you are merely writing the facts as they were given. But I still strongly disapprove of "amateur archaeologists".



LRV