Now I may be wrong, but I believe it is 50 years after publishing or 50 years after the death of the copyright owner - whichever is the latest.

So if a photo was printed in 1950, but the photographer only died in 1970 you couldn't post it. If they died in 1951 you could.

That's how I was taught the copyright laws.

so if something was published say 100 years ago, the person who took the photograph or made the drawing has been dead for more than 70 years, then it should be okay to publish that work? what about if that work is in historical or such like papers or books printed at the time the work was done?, ie if that work was done was for or printed in such said papers.

70 years after the death of the writer or artist. BUT if you have (for example) a reproduction of a Stukeley drawing in a modern book - then the photographer of that repro., plus the author and publisher of that book will have copyright even though Stukeley is long dead. You would only be OK if you owned an original. Museums own copyright of the originals in their collection and charge high license fees. Consult " Writers and Artists Yearbook" in your local library. Best bet is DON't, but lots do and TMA sometimes sails very close to the wind. I regret it, because its a beatuiful website, but Megalithic Poems is very very naughty. Up to you and the Eds really.

what about rock art slabs held captive in museums?

The person who carved it is long gone ;)

Who owns it?

If you produce work based on it, can you publish it as your own?

(Getting daft now.....)

If you look inside the cover of any book you will see this

"All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permition of the copywright holders/publishers."

Have I just broken the law by writing this? Who knows.

Peace , Lubin

Okay folks...

We have just been to Tullie House Museum..

We have pictures of the carved stones that are on display, including the Honeypots stone, and 2 stones from the Old Parks stone row.

The question is...am i allowed to post them on the site?

Eyup, bit late now, as you've put them up already, though had I chanced on this earlier in the day, I would have advocated the full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes approach, as I wanted to see the Honeypots stone ;)