There are people for whom history is not an empty phrase. They excite the shadows of the past and find such "skeletons in the closet" that real scientists can only dream of. The heroes are forced to search for their finds in the bowels of the earth, but they are not doing it quite legally, which is why they got the nickname "black diggers".
Conditional classification
Any person has his own interests in life. Someone studies astronomy, another devotes all his free time to literature, biology or mathematics. In any case, the ultimate goal is to learn as much as possible and better understand your favorite pastime. Black Diggers think a little differently. Having certain knowledge, they set themselves the task - to find specific objects, which are their ultimate goal. Depending on the direction of the search, these people can conditionally be divided into three groups. These include the seekers:
- treasures;
- historical artifacts;
- trophies of war.
Despite the significant differences, these people are united by the desire to be the first and by all means achieve the desired by any means. Black Diggers do not recognize any obstacles and are ready to commit any violations, even violations of the law. They have their own logic and ethical standards, which do not always coincide with those by which society lives.
In pursuit of treasures
Some "black diggers" set themselves the main goal of profit and enrichment. Their desire is to find innumerable treasures that have been lost in the past or intentionally hidden from prying eyes. In this case, we mean treasure hunters. Most often, their goal is not the find itself, but its marketing.
In historical references and documents there is a lot of information about jewelry, which, according to unverified data, is hidden by the owners in certain places. Such information becomes an impetus, a kind of impetus for action for lovers of easy money. In practice, it turns out that treasure hunting is not such an easy task. After all, the treasure never lies on the surface. It is usually located deep underground, and getting it out of there is worth a lot of effort. In addition, you have to do everything secretly, without attracting too much attention. Indeed, competitors can use the same information. And the winner in such a situation will be the most courageous, successful and enterprising.
Thieves of the Public Domain
Sometimes the findings of the "black diggers" are completely unexpected even for themselves. Often, setting off in search of, for example, the count's treasure of the 18th century, they stumble upon ancient medieval burials. In this case, a find may be clothing, utensils, or household items of ancient people. Such things can not be taken to a pawnshop. But you can make money on them, and a lot of money.
Such exhibits are always in great demand among collectors in the West. In order to get a real price, they need to be auctioned. But this is an official option. Will have to draw up a lot of documents, and most importantly - to confirm ownership. Therefore, the "new owners" find an easier way.
All finds are sold informally, through third parties and at a bargain price. But even such an amount can turn out to be a real fortune and quite suits the adventurous "grief-millionaires". In this case, the state is inflicted invaluable damage. Her treasures are floating away from the country, and hero-seekers go further, for a new find.
Persistent shadows of the past
There is another group of people. They are interested in the hostilities that took place in our country in the forties. And the goal of these curious workers is trophies of war. Often they are called "black diggers of the Second World War." Armed with shovels and mine detectors, they dig up the surroundings of hostilities in search of weapons left on the battlefields. Some "lucky ones" even find whole warehouses that have been preserved since the war. And they do this not for the sake of the memory of the dead or for the safety of the living. Usually all found "iron" goes on sale.
Some specimens have not lost their working capacity over the years, while others are quite suitable as sources of explosive raw materials. Of these, new weapons are being prepared for military operations today. Such people are extremely dangerous. Firstly, they are unprincipled and blind to a thirst for profit. And secondly, their desire to enrich themselves in any way poses a real threat to civilians. Often, for their work, they resort to the help of rough heavy equipment. There were cases when even historical monuments suffered due to such “excavations”.
but on the other hand
But not everything is as clear as it seems. It happens that the excavation of "black diggers" are the usual work of archaeologists who do not have the necessary documents in their hands. Or it’s just spontaneously organized search teams that try to restore the history of their native land on their own. As a result of such searches, information about soldiers who went missing in distant war years often unexpectedly pops up. There are even whole collective graves.
Such seekers are called "red rangers." But without the appropriate documents, they fall under the brand of "black adventurers." It's a shame, but a fact. Often, such volunteers share photos of their findings in the hope that someone will help identify people they know in the remains of the deceased. It can even be an ordinary knife or a lighter that relatives remember well. Such a mission is noble and honorable, but it is better to act officially, legally and in an organized manner.
Community of illegal enthusiasts
As you know, people tend to desire communication and exchange of experience. You always want to boast about the result achieved or ask your neighbor for advice. For these purposes, illegal seekers are united in communities. One such organization is the Order of Black Diggers. There exists its own order. Communication usually takes place over the Internet. In modern conditions, this is an ideal option.
In November 2010, a special site was created on which you can get all the information you need. Beginners will be told where to start. And old-timers can learn about the latest finds or new promising places for the "cop". There you can read about new joint visits and the results of previous meetings.
Becoming a member of the order is not difficult. You just need to register and go through a number of necessary procedures. After that, you can consider yourself a full member of the brotherhood of illegal enthusiasts. Many are now interested in history, but not everyone can get the right education, get trained and find like-minded people in their city. It is for these purposes that an organization has been created that calls itself the "Order".