The conflicts that have haunted our world history have all been associated with the clash of ethics. The British Empire who ruled much of the world under their code of ethics. Earlier the Romans had also ruled over a large portion under their ethical views. Our country is at war right now because our president believes we need to clean up the ethics of another country. Where do we draw the line on ethics? We don't. "No particular system of ethics can be said to be absolutely right or wrong. Ethics is a cultural construction" (Goldstein and Kintigh 1990:7).
Archaeologists have formed SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics. These principles have been listed in an order of eight and are encourage by the Executive Board to be used by all archaeologist, for they are responsible for archaeological resources. According to the SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics the eight steps as follows: Stewardship, Accountability, Commercialization, Public Education and Outreach, Intellectual Property, Public Reporting and Publication, Records and Preservation, and Training and Resources. .
The ethical views of the people who's ancestors may be being dug up, should raise a concern. A line is drawn between the good of the kin and the good for science. I should hope science will always over rule any one belief. The accountability part in the SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics, describes the responsibility to construct a working relationship between the two parties. Archaeologist don't have a right to go around digging for bodies but should bones and artifacts be unearthed than the proper authorities should be called in. The other party has been widely stereotyped as Indians. I feel the reason for the bitterness between the uncovering of Indian skeletons by the different tribes has to do with the way the Indians were wiped out one way or another by the white man. Archaeologist are mainly and white and though not racist the issue between race's exist.
