Battlefield finds in the ground...

My mother is a grave digger too.
Arheologist.
Well,an organized grave digger.....

If a person does not understand anything, I think it is better not to write all sorts of nonsense.


This is a piece of fine zinc.
They lay in the headquarters, along with debris of war.

Associating your mother's work with what these guys do is an insult to your mother.

Archeologists catalog and record their findings, then their findings are analysed and put into context, then they go to a museum where they are made available to researchers.

These guys dig randomly and take only what they can sell to the highest bidder. In fact, these guys destory what could be of great significance to an archeologist.

Radu

In some cases the state does not find interest in "digging".
In my opinion,sometimes even the this haotic digging can be useful.
Artifacts are getting lost in the ground.
Sometimes human remains are found and can be properly burried.
I guess that arownd Volgograd ther's enought digging for a few generation.
In my opinion,if human remains are treated properly (identified if posible,berried in a military cemetry ).

This post has been edited by C-2 on September 14, 2009 08:05 pm

I think that what Hummel and his friends is doing it's OK, why should we lose pieces of history and let them rust in the ground. I also agree with C2, if the human ramains are treated whit respect and given to the autorities for properly burriels is more than OK. I don't think archeologist go and dig at stalingrad, what could they find, helmets, bayonets, guns, every museum has them, so ther must be someone who can treasure this findings, collector from around the world who treat this items with great respect because they were found on battlefields. These is my opinion.

No matter how you phrase this, this is not "archeology", not even close. So, stop calling this guy an "archeologist", he is a grave robber.

When I was in high school, during summer holidays, I worked on archeological digs. Everything was done systematically, every find was recorded (location in a grid, on a map, depth), photographed, and then carefully stored. We also found human remains and every time when that happened, the authorities were contacted.

Just going out there, taking things from the ground and then selling them to a private collector does not serve any good other than to line the pockets of the guy who sells tyem and fill a shelf in a dark secluded room belonging to a seedy collector who probably never shows them to the public.

The historical value of any such artifact is lost when the item is taken out of its context.

Radu

You don't need to call him a grave robber, that soldiers don't have a grave, they died on the battlefront, so I think finding them and giving them a proper resting place is the best you can do. So you say that the pieces forund on the battelfield should stay in a museum basement bescause what museum will expose rusted helmets, medals and others. Hummel keep on the work and find as many artifacts as you can, try to salvage all you can don't let History rust in the ground.

Claudiu1988,
You are seriously mistaken. Hummel is not working for any association that looks after the remains of soldiers. Did you notice how every time he found anything, he "found no human remains"? So, please, pretty please, do not tell us that he is in the business of "taking care of human remains" - he did not "find" any

He and his buddies are not "salvaging" anything - he is looking for stuff to sell. He is purely motivated by financial gain, no interest in history.

Radu

This post has been edited by Radub on September 14, 2009 03:47 pm

I don't care if Hummel doesn't care about history.
He is saving artifacts from rusting in the ground.
If he's selling them,that's his bussines.
People who are interested in those rusty pieces and cannot get them are pleased.
If he isn't an historian,he's a bussinesman.
What's wrong with that?
Guys like him made important finds.
Let's talk about former Prime minister Nastase who sold priceless Dacian Jewlery.
That's a crime.

You answered your own question.

He is saving artifacts from rusting in the ground.
If he's selling them,that's his bussines.
People who are interested in those rusty pieces and cannot get them are pleased.
If he isn't an historian,he's a bussinesman.
What's wrong with that?

"Half dogtags" always signify a grave. Removing dogtags is actually a serious criminal offence. But I guess your heroic gravedigger knows that, that is why he pulled the photo of the half dogtag. In my opinion, the International red Cross should be contacted and this man should be put away where he belongs.

Radu

Gold doesn't rust....

Second,the artifacts were discovered long ago they were unique (not like the rusty ones in Stalingrad).
Third, the international red cross must have more important things to do with living people.

Oh...
I belive I didn't answered my question....

It is my understanding that a half dog tag is one that is delibertly broken in two pieces. That is why they are sometimes perferated. One half of the dog tag is to remain with the remains and the other half is sent back to record the death. I am not sure the Romanian procedure for placing the tag left behind with the remains, but the Americans would insert the tag into the mouth between the teeth and when rigamortis would set in, the tag would be in place permently until removed.

Many armies do the same.
The problem is if the soldier has no teaths or has large diastemas.
And that is not a joke.

Radub
It is strange when a man does not know the person and draws conclusions.
You know me, my dear?
I do not, I'm with you not drink vodka.
1 I dig because of the interest I have a collection.
2 I am willing to dig where they were Romanian soldiers.
3 What do you know about the excavations in the Stalingrad cauldron?
4 Nothing.
5 You say that about me bad things, you can tell them to me in person?
6 Do you envious people.
7 I dig from 2004, I found only 1 Romanian soldier.
8 All my things that I showed were found or in bunkers or in front of them.
9 This is a video for you, you doubted the authenticity of things.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDxQfBylKFU

Hummel,
As long as a person is not opening marked graves,and as long as he tretats human remains with respect, in my opinion ther's nothing wrong with this hobbie (for some) and bussines (for others).
Finding long burried pieces of history is ok by me.