Diamonds in the Dust: The Underlying Pedagogical Value of Old Material Collections

Abstract

The ethics of studying or collecting unprovenanced material is intrinsically tied to the issue of looting. In recent years looting has become increasingly facilitated by the current political instability in various parts of the world, with looted objects often serving as a highly lucrative source of income for insurgent or even terrorist groups. As international statutes and industry protocols aim to alleviate further threats to cultural heritage, consideration is also due to the future of the vast collections of unprovenanced and subsidiary material acquired through decades of cultural tourism and incipient archaeological exploration. A survey of Canadian and American academic institutions was conducted to determine the extent of department-held material collections, as well as the current pedagogical and research purposes to which they are directed.