The hobby of collecting artifacts has had a long and controversial past, and even today is a contentious business. Some people see it as completely harmless, while others want to ban the hobby entirely.
So what are the pros and cons of each side of the debate? Read on to get an overview of artifact collecting and learn some of the responsible ways you can approach this topic!
Why Is Collecting Artifacts So Popular?
In a word: history. People love the ability to collect artifacts that can tie them to people, places, and times not their own.
There are so many layers of history and artifacts around the world that it can be difficult to even narrow down what “counts” as artifact collecting. For some people, only rare and famous artifacts count. For others, anything more than several decades old might count!
Besides the history associated with them, artifacts are just plain neat! There was a whole world of art, design, and skill that went into every artifact, and people love the ability to appreciate it.
Personal collectors aren’t the only people looking to collect artifacts. Museums, colleges, and other places are always eager to showcase historical artifacts from nearby and far away. An artifact collection allows them to teach history, culture, and art to people who would otherwise never get a chance to see these relics from past cultures.
Why Is It Controversial?
Unfortunately, along with the ability to see and hold wonders from the past also comes the chance for greed. There is a long and storied history of people stealing, looting, and warring for cultural treasures. Many historical sites and treasures have forever been destroyed because people only cared about the artifacts they could get.
Even today, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the collection of artifacts. This includes new discoveries and artifacts still in their home countries, as well as those that were taken away centuries ago, such as the Elgin Marbles.
Collectors, historians, archaeologists, and government officials everywhere are grappling with questions of ownership and ethics with artifacts. Should an artifact stay in the land where it originated? Who gets to decide what happens to it?
The collecting of artifacts can also hurt our understanding of history. An object on its own is fine, but the location, setting, and relation to other artifacts can give historians a wealth of information. By removing artifacts from their original locations, that wealth of information is reduced or lost forever.
What You Should Keep In Mind
There are no firm answers yet about what the collecting world should look like. However, many people believe that responsible collectors can actually do a world of good.
Whether you want to read about ancient Chinese artifacts or start collecting old Roman relics, it’s important to be wise about how you proceed. How were the artifacts collected, and who’s selling them? What’s the history of the location where they originated from?
You should always obey the laws of all countries where artifacts originate and where they’re being sold. Many smugglers sell artifacts on the black market, and these sales often go to fund other criminal activities and even terrorism. It’s not worth risking prison for artifacts!
Even if the artifacts are legal to purchase and collect, you have to ask yourself whether others have still been hurt by the artifact’s history. Was it taken in war centuries ago, or is it something a farmer found in his field last week?
That’s why it’s so important to find reputable, knowledgeable sellers if you want to collect. They can help ensure that the artifacts are all above board while also preserving their history and historical context.
Learn More About Travel and History
Collecting artifacts can be a fun and worthwhile hobby in many people’s eyes, but there is a lot of controversy with it as well. If you do want to proceed with the hobby, be careful to do so in a way that still preserves history for future generations!
If you’d like to learn more about history, travel, or other hobbies, be sure to check out the rest of our blog! We have plenty of great articles on a wide range of subjects to help keep you up to date in our changing world.