The dreadful policies halting archeological discoveries

The 2020s are shaping up to be a golden age of archaeology thanks to new technologies.

In Italy , antiquities are outlawed, illegal excavation is punishable by hefty fines and sometimes prison time.

Many artifacts end up on the black market, or are destroyed or hidden away.

The world of bits, as has often been the case these days , is leaving the world of atoms in the dust.

The Great Stagnation of physical archaeology is a choice. The failure of policymakers to get the basics right.

Physical archaeology should be discoverable today with aerial anomaly survey and some clever hydraulics.

Change the rules, and the payoff could be extraordinary, says Luttwak .