Problem
Destruction of archaeological sites
Other Names:
Salvage archaeology Nature:
Archaeological sites are an irreplaceable, nonrenewable resource. Once destroyed, they are lost forever. Many cultural activities modify the earth's surface, destroying sites. City, road, and reservoir construction and deep plowing in the past century have drastically accelerated destruction. Air pollution decays materials which have survived millennia and commercial art markets inspire pothunters and grave robbers to loot countless sites. Since prehistoric people tended to live in the same favoured locations as modern settlements, the need to preserve archaeological sites too often is lost to progress.
Broader Problems:
Human destructivenessUnethical practice of anthropologyThreatened monuments and historic sites Subject(s):
History → ArchaeologySocietal Problems → Destruction
Societal Problems → Waste
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST