Tomb raiders and destruction of history

As a foreign scholar of Chinese archeology, when asked if ancient tombs like that of the historical figure, general Cao Cao (AD 155 - 220), of the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280), or of Qin Shi Huang (259 -210 BC), the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) should be opened or not, the first answer has to be that it is a question that only the Chinese can answer.

But China's cultural heritage is not just a matter for China. It is also world heritage. Its protection is in the interest of the whole world. Thus, everyone would hope that any such work should be sanctioned and supervised by China's own expert archeologists and its State Administration of Cultural Heritage. It is vital that archeological experts have the final say over priorities, especially since the resources for scientific archeology are limited.

When an archeological site is discovered, it is not just individual artifacts that are important, but the layout of the site, the arrangement of objects, the plant and animal remains, and other aspects that are often overlooked or even invisible to nonspecialists, who also, because of ignorance, often contaminate such remains. That's why it is important to allow expert archeologists to set priorities and carry out the work. Otherwise, all the potential knowledge about our heritage can be lost forever.