By Stu Johnson
Frankfort, KY – An updating of Kentucky's Antiquities Act could offer additional protection to private property owners. Kentucky's law was established in 1962 to protect archaeological sites. Several revisions were approved today (Thursday) by a house committee. Mark Dennen, who directs the State Historic Preservation Office, says one change gives landowners control over artifacts found on their property.
"It offers some protection for private property owners in that anybody who wants to come on their land and remove archaeological resources from their property would need to get permission from the property owners in order to do that," said Dennen.
Under the proposal, Kary Stackelbeck, who's with the Kentucky Heritage Council says, property owners could prosecute trespassers who collect artifacts. She. says such digs are commonplace across the Commonwealth.
"Very often, in fact we get calls regularly from out office and I know the office of state archaeology does as well that this is the kind of thing that does happen very often but not just in Kentucky but across the country," added Stackelbeck.
Despite the changes, Kary Stackelbeck, who's with the Kentucky Heritage Council, predicts archeological digs will remain common across the state.
"This doesn't do anything in terms of trying to enforce any more or any less archaeological research that what is provided for already under the existing act," explained Stackelbeck.
Each year, state archaeologist George Crothers says archaeologists are at work at well over 100 sites within Kentucky.