A question about cavemen drawings.

[diggleblop]

I was reading this article (http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080703/sc_livescience/cavemenlovedtosing) about how cavement liked to sing when drawing. Then I saw a link to one of the drawings and thought, I wonder if those drawings are worth any money?

So, are drawings done by cavemen worth anything? And if so, who protects them? How does all that work, because I'm sure if someone could go out there and pry them drawings out of the wall to sell them, they would.

[John Mace]

If you can get your hands on prehistoric art, it sure is worth money. But the most famous caves, like Lascaux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux) and Altamira (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altamira_%28cave%29) are protected sites.

[panache45]

Have you ever tried to "pry" away the surface of a huge rock? And even if you could, there's also the small matter of all the people, with guns, who would stop you. Unless you've got some previously-undiscovered cave art in your back yard.

[TrumanChipotle]

Recently seen on Craigs List: "For Sale - underground cave painting, good condition (damp), framed, signed by the original (unknown) artist. $50.00 obo, + excavation costs".

[diggleblop]

Have you ever tried to "pry" away the surface of a huge rock? And even if you could, there's also the small matter of all the people, with guns, who would stop you. Unless you've got some previously-undiscovered cave art in your back yard.


No, I haven't tried to pry away art, but it can be done if you know what you're doing. Also, I know that there are people with guns, but who are these people, that's what I'm asking. Hence the, "if so, who protects them?" question. ;)

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

God DAMN it. First the Geico commercials, and now this.

[HeyHomie]

Which raises a question: if I discover something of great cultural, scientific, historical, archaelogical, etc. importance on my property, is it mine to do with as I please, or can the government confiscate it on the basis that "it belongs to the world."

[Sailboat]

God DAMN it. First the Geico commercials, and now this.

:P

Sailboat

[WF Tomba]

Which raises a question: if I discover something of great cultural, scientific, historical, archaelogical, etc. importance on my property, is it mine to do with as I please, or can the government confiscate it on the basis that "it belongs to the world."
Varies with the jurisdiction. Different countries have made very different laws on the matter.