Archeology Glorified Grave Robing? Essay, Research Paper
Archeologists have toiled for years trying to piece together the puzzle of past civilizations. Archeology, however, can be classified as a form of glorified grave robbing, rather than a way to recreate and understand the ways of past societies. While the artifacts uncovered can be helpful in painting a picture of what the lives of past civilizations were like, the act of digging up such artifacts can be considered immoral.
A person claiming to be conducting an archeological study in a present-day cemetery would most definitely be apprehended and punished for his actions. Cemeteries are considered sacred places, and those who violate the laws made to protect them will be punished for their actions. There is no difference between the aforementioned act and that of unearthing sacred Native American burial grounds, for example. Great care was taken to ensure that the dead received proper and sacred burials in past civilizations. Unearthing the remains these civilizations generates a great disrespect for cultures that existed long before ours.
One has to think to himself how he would feel if, hundreds of years in the future, his remains were dug up, studied, and placed in public museums for anyone to view. Certainly this idea is not pondered in everyday life, but it must be considered in order to fully understand what archeology truly is. Information provided by archeological findings, while interesting and informative, is not crucial to present-day life, and, therefore, archeology is an unnecessary part of society.