A recurring challenge in biblical archaeology, and in archaeology in general, remains the lack or publication of the results of excavations. This responsibility lies with the excavation director. The excavation of a site permanently destroys the excavated portion of the site thereby removing all possibility of excavating it again. Think of it as “Once a bell is tolled it can’t be untolled.”

If there are ethical issues, they concern the supposed public right to know, which is a dubious concept at best (who gave the public or the media the right to know private information unless there is government funding or the research is on government lands?) and the alleged injury to the scientific community resulting from failure or even slowness in publishing careful excavation reports? Does an archaeologist, at least in the United States, have a right of privacy and proprietary interest in his or her work product? It depends on the licenses, contractual relationships involved, and the law of the land where the excavation takes place.

Some researchers hold on to their data for decades and depriving other researchers of information that could be of assistance in other excavations or expanding historical understanding. There may be some professional culpability but archaeologists have a right to control and suppress or release their own data subject to their legal responsibilities. Unfortunately, in some excavations there never will be a final excavation report.