The Historical Society of Avon ParkAVON PARK, FL · EST. 1886
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Policy on archaeological site locations

The Avon Park Historical Society strictly prohibits naming or mapping the specific locations of unprotected archaeological sites in any exhibit, publication, or public record. This policy exists because the primary threat to archaeological sites is looting, which is a real and continuing harm in Florida.

When an artifact is removed from a site by looters, its context is destroyed. Context—the spatial relationship of objects to each other and to the soil layers—is the critical information that allows researchers to interpret how an object was made, used, and deposited. Once an object is removed, it loses its ability to convey this history, and the site is permanently damaged as a historical record.

Florida Law: The withholding of site locations aligns directly with Florida law. Section 267.135 of the Florida Statutes establishes a specific exemption to the state’s public records laws for information identifying the location of an archaeological site. This exemption is invoked when the Division of Historical Resources finds that disclosure would create a “substantial risk of harm, theft, or destruction at such site.”[fl-statute-267-135] Consequently, the Florida Master Site File does not provide self-service public access to specific site location data.[fl-master-site-file-guidelines]

Professional Ethics: The policy also reflects the core principles of archaeological stewardship. The Society for American Archaeology’s Principles of Archaeological Ethics emphasize that the archaeological record is irreplaceable. Principle No. 7 directs that “an interest in preserving and protecting in situ archaeological sites must be taken in to account when publishing and distributing information about their nature and location.”[saa-ethics]

Continuing Threat

The threat of looting is not abstract or historical. Antiquities smuggling and site looting remain active operations in the state. In late 2026, Homeland Security Investigations seized over 22,000 ancient artifacts in Tampa as part of an operation to disrupt international smuggling networks.[looting-reports-2026] This demonstrates that the commercial market for looted antiquities is a present danger.

To protect local heritage, all future publications, interpretive maps, and exhibits produced by or in cooperation with the Society must describe site locations only in generalized regional terms unless a site is already developed for public access and its location is broadly known.

References

Where this comes from

Evidence
corroborated — More than one independent source agrees.
Review
unverified — Drafted from sources but not yet checked by a volunteer.
Rights
society

Sources

  1. State of Florida, Florida Statutes Section 267.135 - Location of archaeological sites (2026)
  2. Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, State of Florida - Archaeological Protection Guidelines (2026)
  3. Society for American Archaeology, SAA Principles of Archaeological Ethics (Updated 2024) (2024)
  4. WTSP News / Fox13 / ClickOrlando, News Reports on Looting in Florida (August/September 2026) (2026)

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