The Flea Market Archaeologist

The Flea Market Archaeologist - Book
by Michael J. Costa (still alive).

Summary: Archaeology: the lure of treasure-hunters-turned-scientists, the discovery of ancient artifacts and unknown civilizations. Now add Flea Markets to the mixture and you have Cultural Anthropology with antiquities galore. You never know what you will find there. Usually anything of value to history is not on the minds of overly-burdened vendors. Most vendors I had the chance to know want to sell you their prized junk, usually at cheap to modest prices. I collect for educational reasons, not for entertaining value. Each piece is a study-aid, from varied cultures of historical significance. Then came the addiction. Cataloged artifacts were largely over-priced according to the Flea Market vendors' opinion. Over priced or over- valued is hard to say. I use artifact catalogs mostly to examine what artifacts look like, what time period produced them, their size and shape, etc. This replaces a dig site or artifact books, though my personal "library" contains reference materials from the Near East to Western cultures. I have Stamp Collector books, Coin books (both American and Ancient), books on Marketed toys (the kind used to market films), and history books. For anyone interested in this concept, you will need a few suggestions. First, don't seem too interested in the item - that is a red flag to the vendor, which may increase the price of the artifact. Second, look around the object: see if there are any other items hidden beneath it or beside it. Once there was a statue I wanted, and it hid a pile of coins I hadn't noticed before, one of which was a 4 inch Chinese Cash coin. Third, bring a backpack or large duffle for multiple or larger items. I usually carry a backpack, though I prefer to find small objects there. Fourth, invest in plastic sleeves and 3-ring binders purchased at a local Office store; this is to preserve either paper items like postage stamps or currency, and for research materials with photos of the artifacts. Fifth, examine the items for any damage or marks which may indicate age or genuineness (fake artifacts can be identified by structural design or cross section). Researching items before going to a Flea Market is recommended so as to know what characteristics to look for in the vast wasteland of artifacts, if you plan on targeting one particular culture. Bring enough cash [especially one-dollar bills] as most vendors there rarely accept credit cards unless it is sports related or from an actual business like jewelry, College groups, or a marketplace. I have seen small businesses use Flea Markets to attract customers.

© Copyright 2012 Michael J. Costa, All rights reserved.