Urgent Call to Action: Help Oppose New Reality TV Series American Digger

This post comes courtesy of the North Carolina Archaeological Society (NCAS).  The Society's most recent newsletter addresses the problem the archaeological community has with the American Diggers and Diggers television series.  It also provides a handful of talking points and the contact information for parties related to the production of both series.

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Two main goals of the North Carolina Archaeological Society are to promote responsible attitudes toward archaeological resources and to discourage careless and destructive activities.  The Society relies on its members to help achieve these goals, and right now your help is urgently needed!

This spring, Spike TV plans to air American Digger, a reality series following native North Carolinian and former professional wrestler Ric Savage and his American Savage team as they plunder archaeological resources across America.  According to the show’s teaser, “Once the team identifies an area they think is ripe with high-value artifacts and relics, they’ll have to convince the current homeowner to give them permission to dig up their backyard. If American Savage is persuasive enough, they'll get a chance to dig up the tenant’s backyard using their state-of-the-art equipment, and divide the cash they get from selling the artifacts they find there with the tenant.”

Last month, the National Geographic Channel (NGC) launched a similar show, Diggers.  NGC has already aired reruns of the first episodes, and Diggers has become a topic of discussion in online forums devoted to metal detecting and treasure hunting.

Both of these new reality shows encourage the destruction of archaeological resources for profit and rob current and future generations of opportunities to understand and learn from history.  The Society for American Archaeology (SAA), the Society for Historical Archaeology, and other professional and avocational archaeology societies strongly condemn the shows and have launched campaigns to raise awareness and encourage action.

In response, NGC has agreed to run a disclaimer informing viewers that there are laws protecting archaeological resources.  According to a recent memo sent to SAA members by president Fred Limp, NGC has also expressed willingness “to enter into discussions with the archaeological community to determine how to raise awareness of the impacts of the use of metal detectors for treasure hunting.

”As of this writing, Spike TV has yet to formally respond to archaeologists’ concerns.  However, the Huffington Post reported on March 2, 2012 that the station’s spokesperson Shana Tepper maintains that because American Digger is filmed on private property, Savage and his crew are “getting artifacts that are otherwise rotting in the ground.”

Please join NCAS board members in expressing your own concerns about the airing of American Digger by writing the companies involved. Contact information and talking points are provided below.

Talking Points:

• Rather than encouraging a responsible attitude toward archaeological resources, this show encourages destructive and careless activities that will rob current and future generations of the chance to understand and learn from their shared past.
• Archaeological resources are limited and irreplaceable.  They should be left in the ground until responsible and scientific methods can be used to ensure that important information is not lost during their removal.
• Some states (including North Carolina) have laws protecting all unmarked human burials and skeletal remains, even those located on private property.
• The methods and behaviors that American Digger promotes are not only irresponsible but also disrespectful toward descendent populations.  By normalizing and glamorizing such behaviors, the show may encourage viewers to imitate them.

Contacts:

Scott Gurney and Deirdre Gurney Gurney Productions, Inc.

8929 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 510

Los Angeles, California 90045

http://www.gurneyproductions.com/contact

Kevin Kay President, Spike TV

1633 Broadway

New York, New York 10019

Stephen K. Friedman

President, MTV

c/o MTV Studios 1515 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Shana Tepper

Spike TV Spokesperson

shana.tepper@mtvstaff.com

Philippe Dauman

President and Chief Executive Officer Viacom Inc.

1515 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

I highly suggest contacting your state, regional and/or local archaeological society and asking them to comment on the subject of these two series in their newsletter or at their next meeting.

Bristol archaeologists unearth slave burial ground on St Helena

Archaeologists from the University of Bristol have unearthed a unique slave burial ground on the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena. The excavation, which took place in advance of construction of a new airport on the island, has revealed dramatic insights into the victims of the Atlantic slave trade during the notorious Middle Passage.

The tiny island of St Helena, 1,000 miles off the coast of south-west Africa, acted as the landing place for many of the slaves, captured by the Royal Navy during the suppression of the slave trade between 1840 and 1872.  During this period a total of around 26,000 freed slaves were brought to the island, most of whom were landed at a depot in Rupert’s Bay.  The appalling conditions aboard the slave ships meant that many did not survive their journey, whilst Rupert’s Valley – arid, shadeless, and always windy – was poorly suited to act as a hospital and refugee camp for such large numbers.  At least 5,000 people are likely to have been buried there.

Part of the cemetery was investigated between 2006 and 2008 in advance of a new road that had to pass through Rupert’s Valley to provide access to the proposed airport project.  Some 325 bodies in a combination of individual, multiple and mass graves were discovered.  Only five individuals were buried in coffins: one adolescent and four still- or newborn babies.  The remainder had been placed (or thrown) directly into shallow graves, before being hastily covered.  In some cases mothers were buried with their presumed children, or sometimes the bodies were so close that there might have been a familial relationship.

Now archaeologists, led by Dr Andrew Pearson of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Bristol, are publishing for the first time the results of their discoveries and the subsequent scientific investigations of the human remains and associated grave goods buried with them.

Osteological analysis shows that 83 per cent of the bodies were those of children, teenagers or young adults – prime material for the slave traders who sought victims with a long potential working life.  In most cases the actual cause of death is not clear, but this is unsurprising because the main killers aboard a slave ship (such as dehydration, dysentery and smallpox) leave no pathological trace.  Nevertheless, scurvy was widespread on the skeletons; several showed indications of violence and two older children appear to have been shot.

Despite its horrific nature, the archaeology showed those buried within the graveyard as more than simply victims.  These were people from a rich culture, with a strong sense of ethnic and personal identity.  This is best evidenced by numerous examples of dental modifications, achieved by chipping or carving of the front teeth.  A few had also managed to retain items of jewellery (beads and bracelets), despite the physical ‘stripping process’ that would have taken place after their capture, prior to embarkation on the slave ships.

In addition to the large number of beads, burial conditions allowed for the survival of textiles, including ribbons. A number of metal tags were also found on the bodies that would have identified the slaves by name or number.

Dr Andrew Pearson, director of the project, commented: “Studies of slavery usually deal with unimaginable numbers, work on an impersonal level, and, in so doing, overlook the individual victims.  In Rupert’s Valley, however, the archaeology brings us (quite literally) face-to-face with the human consequences of the slave trade.”

Professor Mark Horton said: “Here we have the victims of the Middle Passage – one of the greatest crimes against humanity – not just as numbers, but as human beings.  These remains are certainly some of the most moving that I have ever seen in my archaeological career.”

The artefacts from the excavations are currently at the University of Bristol and will be transferred to Liverpool for an exhibition at the International Slavery Museum in 2013 before returning to St Helena. The human remains will shortly be re-interred on St Helena.

An update on the fight against televised looting

I am overwhelmed by the response received in regards to both Spike TV's American Diggers and National Geographic Channel's Diggers series.  The outpouring of support from archaeologists, professors, curators, students, enthusiast, and legitimately concerned individuals is overwhelming.  I want to extend my thanks to everyone who has taken time to show their disgust and anger over what is percolating in the television landscape.

Here is an update across the board as to what is happening:

• A petition entitled "Stop Spike TV from looting our collective past!" has exceeded 15,000 signatures.
• A petition has also emerged to stop National Geographic Channel from airing a similar series entitled Diggers.  While falling to second in the headlines, this series is nearly identical to Spike TV's American Diggers.
• Two Facebook groups have emerged to protest both televised looting series American Diggers and Diggers.
• The Society for American Archaeologists (SAA) released two statements this week "unequivocally opposing" both Spike TV's American Diggers and National Geographic's Diggers.
• The President of the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) has sent a letters to both NGC and Spike TV protesting televised looting.
• The National Trust has issued a statement protesting these two shows.
• The Society for Historical Archaeology published their take on thes events on their blog.
• The International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management has also released a statement warning that these two series will establish a fad for looting.
• KTVA in Alaska aired a report on the story.  The first episode of the series was filmed in Girdwood, Alaska.
• WSET in Virginia also aired a story, with an emphasis on National Geographic's Diggers.
• Numerous blogs, seasoned veterans, professors, professionals, and organizations have expressed disgust and opposition both in the media and online, but more is needed.  State your argument and then post it on one of the two Facebook groups listed above or on the Sexy Archaeology Facebook Group.  Every bit helps.
• ScienceInsider has an article on the threat of televised looting.

Archaeologists may sometimes be divided on their interpretations of history, but one thing has been made abundantly clear these last few days: when it come to threatening the historical record and the science of archaeology, we stand together.  Don't let bad science or non-science ever rear its ugly head in the media because more often than not, what the public sees the public does.

DNA reveals Neanderthal extinction clues

Neanderthals were already on the verge of extinction in Europe by the time modern humans arrived on the scene, a study suggests.

DNA analysis suggests most Neanderthals in western Europe died out as early as 50,000 years ago - thousands of years before our own species appeared.

A small group of Neanderthals then recolonised parts of Europe, surviving for 10,000 years before vanishing.

The work is published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.

An international team of researchers studied the variation, or diversity, in mitochondrial DNA extracted from the bones of 13 Neanderthals.

This type of genetic information is passed down on the maternal line; because cells contain multiple copies of the mitochondrial genome, this DNA is easier to extract from ancient remains than the DNA found in the nuclei of cells.

The fossil specimens came from Europe and Asia and span a time period ranging from 100,000 years ago to about 35,000 years ago.

The scientists found that west European fossils with ages older than 48,000 years, along with Neanderthal specimens from Asia, showed considerable genetic variation.

But specimens from western Europe younger than 48,000 years showed much less genetic diversity (variation in the older remains and the Asian Neanderthals was six-fold greater than in the western examples).

In their scientific paper, the scientists propose that some event - possibly changes in the climate - caused Neanderthal populations in the West to crash around 50,000 years ago. But populations may have survived in warmer southern refuges, allowing the later re-expansion.

Low genetic variation can make a species less resilient to changes in its environment, and place it at increased risk of extinction.

"The fact that Neanderthals in Europe were nearly extinct, but then recovered, and that all this took place long before they came into contact with modern humans, came as a complete surprise," said lead author Love Dalen, from the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.

"This indicates that the Neanderthals may have been more sensitive to the dramatic climate changes that took place in the last Ice Age than was previously thought."

Neanderthals were close evolutionary cousins of modern humans, and once inhabited Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. The reasons behind their demise remain the subject of debate.

The appearance of modern humans in Europe around the time of the Neanderthal extinction offers circumstantial evidence that Homo sapiens played a role. But changes in the climate and other factors may have been important contributors.

"The amount of genetic variation in geologically older Neanderthals as well as in Asian Neandertals was just as great as in modern humans as a species," said co-author Anders Gotherstrom, from Uppsala University.

"The variation among later European Neanderthals was not even as high as that of modern humans in Iceland."

The researchers note that the loss of genetic diversity in west European Neanderthals coincided with a climatic episode known as Marine Isotope Stage Three, which was characterised by several brief periods of freezing temperatures.

These cold periods are thought to have been caused by a disturbance of oceanic currents in the North Atlantic, and it is possible that they had a particularly strong impact on the environment in western Europe, note the researchers.

Over the last few decades, research has shown that Neanderthals were undeserving of their brutish reputation.

Researchers recently announced that paintings of seals found in caves at Nerja, southern Spain, might date to 42,000 years - potentially making them the only known art created by Neanderthals. However, this interpretation remains controversial.

About as un-sexy as you can get: Spike TV digs into televised looting

Spike TV, known for such masterpieces of modern television as Ink Master, 1000 Ways to Die, Repo Games, and Auction Hunters has found another way to entertain its legion of couch potato fans: televised looting.

February 15th, Spike TV announced it would begin airing a new series in March entitled American Digger.  “American Digger” follows the American Savage team (led by former professional wrestler-turned-modern- day relic hunter Ric Savage) as they scour target-rich areas, such as battlefields and historic sites, in hopes of striking it rich by unearthing and selling rare pieces of American history.

If you though Hollywood was above glamorizing the lives of thieves and criminals, boy were you wrong!  American Digger, which begins airing March 20th, aims to spit in the face of archaeological research by teaching you how to supplement your income in these tough economic times with looting!

For those of you who aren't too familiar with how archaeology works (pay attention Spike TV execs), taking cultural artifacts out of the ground, removing them from their context, and selling them for profit is not only classified as looting, it is also disrespectful and damaging to the historical record.  In fact doing it on Federal land, battlefields and historic sites is a very serious crime and will land you in prison for a great number of years.  So why on earth would anyone consider putting that on television?

I called the Gurney Productions on Friday to ask them just that.  Unfortunately, no one was in so I'll have to call back on Monday.

Already the outcry from individuals within the archaeological community has been loud and clear: this show is unacceptable.  The full press release, which you can read here, already has over 120 comments expressing such rightly justified emotions as disgust, horror and utter shock.  I encourage everyone to contribute to the comments section at the bottom of the press release.  State your name, your level of involvement with archaeology (even if you're just an enthusiast), and your feelings towards bastardizing the work that real professionals do.

I for one am ready to wage a public relations jihad against any network, production company, cast, and crew who would disrespect the field of archaeology, the work that I do, and the cultures or people they would exploit to line their pockets.  Let your voice be heard.  Send feedback to Spike TV here. You can join the 'People against Spike TV's American Digger' Facebook group and sign this petition.

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My name is Kurt Thomas Hunt.  I hold a BA in Archaeology and an MA in Archaeology for Screen Media.  I maintain an archaeoblog called Sexy Archaeology and serve as a consultant for production companies interested in putting good archaeology on TV.  I have also worked in the field of CRM for a number of years and witnessed firsthand the damage that can be caused by looting.  As someone who has dedicated their life to archaeology; to the conservation of heritage and to making sure that good science is a mainstay in the headlines, I am utterly disgusted by the concept of this show.  Taking cultural artifacts out of the ground, removing them from their context, and selling them for profit is not only classified as looting, it is also disrespectful to the people who created those objects and damaging to our understanding of the past.  In fact doing it on Federal lands, battlefields, and historic sites is a very serious crime and will land you in prison for a great number of years.  It is my firm belief that the series American Digger will promote the illegal hunting of artifacts and result in massive and irreversible damage to the cultural heritage of this country.  Do not let this series air.