Imagine if we didn't have these policies. The Parthenon would be a hotel for dogs, the Colosseum a parking lot, and the Rosetta Stone some rich guys footrest.

This should be seen as a risk for anyone buying properties this old, just like any other risk in business. I wouldn't be surprised if there's insurance for this.

When you are in a medieval city every building is old.

The problem here is that the place was shut down for a year with maybe two weeks of work. This is European bureaucracy, not preservation of historic artefacts.

"It's a risk" means there's profit in removing the risk.

As far as insurance goes, it just reduces the variance. Folks who buy the insurance will take short-cuts elsewhere because money spent one place is money that can't be spent another.

And, if you're tempted to respond with "but it wouldn't cost much", my response is "then there's no reason why you shouldn't pay that cost."

And yes, I have a 120 year-old house that I'm keeping as authentic as reasonable. (I do want electricity and central heat.)

What have you preserved with your money?

If only there was an alternative to the finders of artifacts bearing the cost of preserving them.

You don't know the cost of having these policies.

I know a few Central Coast of California agricultural landowners who have Chumash bedrock mortars on their property, some with pestles still in them. They are unbelievably cool IMHO — when you are around them it's easy to imagine Chumash women working away grinding acorn flour and chatting as their children played under the oak trees however many years ago.

The landowners mostly stay quiet for two reasons: One, who knows what the county, state, and the Chumash bands will want to do this time? Second (and far more importantly), if officials are informed it's essentially certain the locations will eventually leak and open the sites up to thieves and vandals. My understanding is that the sites have been made available to researchers under a covenant to not reveal the locations.

To the second point, one only need refer to the tragedy of Painted Rock:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_Rock_(San_Luis_Obispo_...

I've heard that not reporting such finds in Greece, Italy, and perhaps other countries is very common. The reason is that your business or residence is essentially confiscated or shutdown until preservationists or archaeologists take what they need.

"That belongs in a museum!"

"Fun" is always a subjective perspective :)

I'm sure if she shared the news about the "artezian" (artisanal?) spring it would have added a bunch of fun for the archeologists, the city, historians, family who are/were related to the house (if they found out) and more, while maybe not being so fun for your entrepreneur friend.

> "artezian" (artisanal?) spring

Artesian: it refers to groundwater under pressure.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/artesian-well

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artesian_aquifer

Thanks! Seems the alternative spelling with a "z" threw off Google when I searched for it.