Archaeology Digs Attract Donor Support

More and more wealthy donors are stepping in to provide financial support for archaeological excavations as federal support for such projects is shrinking, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Jim Wiseman, a former president of the Archaeological Institute of America, told the newspaper that more than half of the money for American-led excavations now comes from private donors.

Some scholars are concerned that donors who collect antiquities might be tempted to loot the sites they are supporting, as was the case when donors supported a lot of digs in the early and mid-20th century.

But the newspaper says many of the new donors are not antiquities collectors and are primarily interested in improving living conditions in the countries of the excavation sites. (A paid subscription is required to view this article.)