Expert: Ralph Salier - 11/16/2001

Question
I'm writing a fictional novel set in west central Minnesota, and I have a technical question, sort of. If a person discovered sacred Indian artifacts (similar to the Jeffers Petroglyphs) on land they owned, would they still be able to sell the land, or does land with historical value become property of the state?

Thank you for your time!

Answer
Different states have different rules but for the most part, the owner of the property can do what they want.  They should of course donate the land to the state under the conservation of archaeological sites rules that most states have.  In return they get a tax abatement in most cases.  I don't know what the rules are in Minnesota but the office of the state archaeologist can tell you.