JEFF PITTS-RELICHUNTER.COM
Hello and welcome to Jeff Pitts-Relichunter.com, a subsidiary of
BestRelicHunter LLC. My name is Jeff Pitts and I have been digging artifacts, dinosaur bones and diving shipwrecks for over 25 years.
Over the years, Charleston, S.C. has become one of my favorite digging sites.
It is rich in our 300 year + history, and being a world port, offers
glimpses of world history as well.
It has been my goal and privilege to discover, identify and share my discoveries
with those that honor our history. Enjoy the site
COMMENTARY
Recently, a friend who owns a plantation/farm dating from circa 1740 , called me and during the course of our conversation told me that thieves had come during the night and stolen the copper tops and gables from his barns and out buildings. Then, almost in the same breath he mentioned that is was just like those "metal detecting fellas" that would come in and steal artifacts from his property. A few days later, a personal friend who is a collector and a dealer called me. During the conversation he mentioned that a man had got in touch with him and wanted to sell him some artifacts. But, the man mentioned, he did not want to tell where they came from and he wanted "the deal and sale" to be kept confidential between my friend and himself. What makes these people sneak over fences, onto private property and perform other deceitful practices? I have actually met self pro claimed dealers who told people where to trespass for various artifacts. And to those folks, I would mention there is a" not so fine line between
a"fence" ( a dealer in stolen property) and a "dealer" in goods.
Last year in South Carolina a law concerning removing artifacts illegally and trespassing private lands and that also mandated stiffer penalties was passed. As I listened to varying opinions on the new law, it became clear that the people most protesting the new law were the very sneak thieves and trespassers that the law was designed to stop.What can people of integrity and principles do? Know the person who excavated the artifact. Know the site where it was excavated. AND, "I FOUND IT IN CHARLESTON " IS NOT a provenance. Dont buy from known thieves . With no money motivation they will soon disappear. The end result of not acting on what we know is wrong and unlawful will be more laws. And eventually, there will be no more relic hunting or sales of artifacts. And WE will be the ones to blame. This little commentary is my attempt to do what I can.
