Post #86459 by Geeky Tiki on Thu, Apr 15, 2004 5:34 PM

Cool topic.

I vote that at some point, these places change froma grave to an archeological find.

Examples: Egyptian Pyramids and the Valley of Kings are not really sacred any more. They have passed some invisible line into modern national possessions.

Same with Mayan Pyramids, Cro Magnon caves, Neanderthal graves, ancient Chinese Burial Mounds, etc.

When a culture no longer maintains a grave site and it falls into obscurity or disuse, then I feel it's fair game to check it out and display what cultural findings or remains are of modern interest.

In 1,000 years, if they find some unmarked and forsaken white man graveyard near LA, if I were around then, I'd say, "Fine, let's check it out." Would you expect the "Fraternal Order of White Culture" to demand that a public-good entity like a museum not display these finds?

So, in this case, I'm siding with the Museum in Hawaii. It's not like the natives were tending to the burial sites and had their artifacts stolen at gun point.

There is much to be learned and appreciated in these findings and it seems a little hypocritical for people who couldn't be bothered to maintain the cultural continuity with a site to get hot and bothered about it. They could learn from this site as well as anyone about how their ancestors did live and think.

Sorry, went long, so.....some invisible line between grave and archaeological site. Public interest, public display, public appreciation...learning.

No personal offense intended to anyone.

[ Edited by: Geeky Tiki on 2004-04-15 17:36 ]