Friday 14 February 2014

Focus on UK Metal Detecting: Scheme Aims Compromised?


The FLO is full of praise ('Museum Aiming to keep Bronze Age Treasures in West', Western Daily Press February 13, 2014):
"The [Wylye Valley] hoard is outstanding, and in beautiful condition," said Richard Henry, Wiltshire's finds liaison officer. "Not only is it a very significant addition to this type of hoard, it's also one of the largest with a wide variety of ornaments,"

Hooray, whooppee, eh? Wottalotta luvverly stuff! BIG pat on the head and a hefty cash handout for the and make sure the objects (which are everybody's heritage) are saved from private hands. It's down to museum director Adrian Green to say what should be the quote coming from the Scheme:
"Partners". If the city's museum cannot raise enough money, then the British Museum has indicated it will step in
"Sadly the metal-detectorists did not leave the hoard in situ when it was discovered. This meant that the archaeologists who subsequently excavated the find spot were denied valuable clues as to the deposition and the structure of the hoard."
Crosby Garrett all over again. When will this STOP?
 The scheme's aims are:
2) To raise awareness among the public of the educational value of archaeological finds in their context and facilitate research in them.
Vignette: hole digging

5 comments:

P2Pinvested said...

I did a little post on this and yes it would be such a shame if it doesnt end up in a local museum, this is one of the situations where a cap on the finders fee would come into play. Also a shame that the archi's didnt get called in once they knew what they were onto. I guess excitement just takes over for some people

Www.diaryofadetectorist.blogspot.co.uk

Anonymous said...

"I guess excitement just takes over for some people"

Oh the poor chicken! Knowledge theft as serious as nighthawking but it was just "excitement". What sort of halfwit doesn't know what's right because they are excited?

Or maybe we'll be told he didn't realise what was right, after 16 vears and millions of pounds of persuasion?

Still, there'll be a massive campaign by all detectorists calling for his reward to be slashed won't there? And in the vanguard and loudest will be those who say they are working to establish ethical detecting, yes?

P2Pinvested said...

Sorry Nigel I was just speculating what may have happened, no need to get wound up. Im off back to my corner of the Internet its a little tense in here.

Paul Barford said...

That is a pretty normal tekkie response, the moment there is criticism of the hobby, run away and throw some tit-for-tat jibe at the commenter.

The point is however that knowledge is lost by this "legitimate" treasure hunting when it gets out of hand by the same degree as nighthawking.

The museum director was right to point this out, but that is what the PAS should be doing.




Anonymous said...

"Sorry Nigel I was just speculating what may have happened, no need to get wound up. Im off back to my corner of the Internet its a little tense in here."

No, you were not just speculating what may have happened you were excusing and minimising bad behaviour. It's part of a pattern that has included saying the counter is grossly exaggerated (without any explanation why) and telling new detectorists that the farcical NCMD Code is a basis for ethical detecting. Being an advocate for ethical detecting does not mean trotting out a series of well-worn fictions it means facing up to some uncomfortable realities.

As for me getting wound up, your colleagues will today find nearly 800 recordable finds and fail to report about 560 of them. Why wouldn't I get wound up? Don't expect me not to be, ever. Why do you suppose Paul and I have been banging on all these years? Because it's untrue and we just want to annoy detectorists? I could find better things to do with my time than that I assure you.

As a first step towards facing up to reality and batting for Britain not detectorists: how about saying on your blog that this finder, who has destroyed lots of information in this way,should lose at least half of his reward? Eh? Are you an ethical detectorist or a defender of unethical detectorists?

You've been running your crusade for more than a week, it's decision time!

 
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