NASA-Tom quote "Life begins at 3 feet" Do you agree?

[DougF]

So given their belief 3 feet is the start of the goods is it not absolute hypocrisy that they care so much what we do in our tiny foot of 'dead' dirt?

That was my first thought also - if that's true we can't really do any harm to the archaeological record digging down only 12 inches tops.

 

[Prep1957]

Here in Illinois depends where you are at.Some places you can find 1830 stuff at 6 inches.Some worked ball fields clad could be a foot in less than 20 years.I have found thousands of arrowheads over the years living around Starved Rock the first place I go in a field is clay hill to hunt and found 90% of my arrowheads that way many very old going back 20,000 years that should upset some bible thumpers.I am not saying the rich black soil does not have the same amount but the arrow heads are down to clay line sometime as deep as 6 feet.Next time follow a new tile that was put in after hard a rain and have big pockets with you.Life begins at the clay or rock line water ever that depth is.I also think real dense roots keeps things shallow also. plus ground compacted by human traffic does also.

 

[pasttom]

In part I was just expressing my bias that many Archies belong in comic books. A very cursory review shows many ancient discoveries occur inches below the surface and erosion or excavation can bring things up within detector range.
And to set the record straight, the Bible does not clearly state anything to preclude 'old' dates. Both scientists and theologians exercise a great deal of faith asserting what cannot be proven. One might as well try to predict the weather.

 

[Doc Holliday]

First thing they do, when a new subdivision goes up, is to bulldoze away the top layer and level everything. Great time to get that coil really close to the ground and search. Down here in AZ, they will always make a small 'drainage area' for water runoff, and those 'depressions' can get you 8-10' down....but every time I search them, I usually get absolutely NOTHING, no hits at all. Too deep, I guess, especially with the hard soil down here.

 

[JBM1]

On a lighter note, Life in the UK ends at about 6 feet. Jerry.

 

[Neil]

Ive found old coins in the woods 6" or less many times.
I also like watching documetaries and the like and often "digs" turn up no or very few coins.
No doubt some stuff gets deep but I dont believe in the opening statement...coin wise

 

[marcomo]

The time frame being referred to by the archies at 3'+ was early 1700's. And since Tom lives in Florida, that's assuming those state archies were referring to Florida's inert soil where the sink rate is very high.

Early 1700's activity in the U.S. (with metal in use) once you get beyond the East is sparse. Sink rates vary depending on soil and other conditions. But it seems logical to me that a large part of what was dropped before the 20th century would be laying deeper than current technology is capable of penetrating.

"You detectorists are only playing"

"Be a real man...and dig pits"

I don't like when metal detectorists get stereotyped, so I won't comment on archaeologists in general.

But, that particular archie sure is a condescending little twit.