Pointless Pondering

I've been thinking a lot lately about what actually separates the Archaeologists from the Treasure hunters. When you look back on how the field of archaeology was developed, it certainly stemmed from the 19th century colonial habit of collecting things as a way to demonstrate wealth and prominence - really no different than the collectors today - collectors who would pay to have treasures removed from their country of origin. The fact is that today's archaeologists would not have jobs if yesterdays "archaeologists" didn't encourage the discovery and possible looting of sites. It is through their mistakes and achievements that modern archaeological practices emerged.

I don't really understand how archaeologists (and by this I really mean any academics in the field) can find a separation between the two, given their past history. If anything, this history attests to the fact that although mankind certainly doesn't get it on the first time around, we learn and build off of what we know - which in a way sort of discredits the accusations that farmers in an artifact heavy area would not know how to treat an object.

Even looking back through history, it is in human nature to collect and covet the past, and prior to the 19th century it seems no one really attempted to even document what they had found and where they had found it - but today we simply brush it off as the artefacts "History" or "provinance". It is perfectly acceptable because people 100 years ago did it and not us. We aren't allowed. In a way it is good, but I also wonder if the field of archaeology has arrived at the point where there are so many regulations you cannot move forward.

Who knows... just random pondering.