I have tried very hard not be involved in this bucolic discussion but I
cannot resist.  As a curator of ceramics (a rare breed) I must confess
that I love shards - they are great teachers and literal remnants of the
unforgiving nature of clay.   I recently received a call from an insurance
company who had "three boxes of broken clay bits" that were of no use to
them and would I like them for teaching or something?   These bits were
Han Dynasty and Ming Dynasty shards that indeed were perfect for teaching
(I teach history of ceramics to  students from the  local Art
School)..but they will also be ideal for conservation interns because all
the bits were saved.   I can only imagine the joy that would be
experienced by a conservation intern if s/he managed to put one of the
pieces together again...and I can certainly appreciate a conservator's
angst when faced with the decision of time vs. worth.    But if "my" bits
were made whole  would "it, the whole"  then become precious and
untouchable?
  Could I still use it for teaching or analysis or whatever?   Yes,
in this post-post modern world - it is interesting that fragments
should be greeted with so much polemic.