Definition: Looting is one of the scourges of archaeology today; and it's not likely to go away soon. Many of the known and unknown archaeological sites of the world are being dug into by people who sell the artifacts to collectors, with no eye towards preserving the past or for that matter learning anything from the sites they loot. While much of the looting is done by relatively poor people with few alternative sources of income, there is no doubt that the value placed on the objects recovered from archaeological sites all over the world by wealthy collectors is what spurs the destruction of these sites. Unfortunately, archaeologists really can't throw too many stones; archaeology has its roots in the antiquities trade, and we're still trying to live it down.

Also Known As: Pot-hunting

Related Resources:

Ethics and the Archaeologist
Developing an ethical standard of behavior

History of Archaeology
Part I: the Treasure Hunters

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