Thursday 7 August 2014

Metal Detectorists and "There Education"


Metal detectorist "Glenn" (Heritage Journal 07/08/2014 at 08:26 has a few problems following an argument. There's nothging much new there, most of his fellows have similar difficulties with concepts more polysyllabic and grammatical than than "You done well". His mate John Eakin had said he needs to go out artefact hunting at night because it prevents him coming into contact with “kids and nosey people wanting to ask the same boring questions”. I remarked that the people he dismisses in that manner just happen to be the very public whose historical heritage artefact hunters are hoiking out and scurrying away with. I think they have every right to ask artefact hunters questions. As do we all. "Glen" however sees nothing wrong with artefact hunters hoiking stuff out of the surface archaeological record and scurrying away with them (original spelling and capitalisation of the would-be educator):
As for hoiking out and scurrying away with ‘Artefacts’ they have already been ‘Hoiked’ out of context so there is little Archaeological knowledge to be gained from them except to contribute to the growing ‘PAS’ and ‘UKDFD’ databases and increase the publics knowledge of such ‘Artefacts’. It’s not about what the Artefcts have as a monetary value it’s about there (sic) potential educational value.
What IS the PAS teaching these folk? That ploughsoil finds have NO archaeological knowledge value? That they have no archaeological knowledge value UNTIL they are entered into the PAS database where somehow that missing value is magically restored (perhaps by Roger Bland's helpers the "Knowledge Pixies" by the "Abracadabra - archaeocogitus fixit" spell?).  And where on earth does he get the notion that the UKDFD has anything to do with it? This is a comment made by a PAS-partner on a public resource (HJ, unlike most metal detecting lists is not visible to 'members only'). What do you reckon the chances are of the PAS actually providing some of that fifteen-million-pound educational value by correcting fallacies like this spread by one of its less than brighter partners? Or maybe a "responsible detectorist", who has been paying attention to the lessons the PAS has been teaching for seventeen years (I trust there are believed to be some),  come along and correct Mr "Glenn".

1 comment:

Cartouche1953 said...

If he is detecting on the owners land with his permission, say in the middle of a field, then there shouldn't be any 'nosey kids and people' around to ask questions. Unless of course he is on public land...............

 
Creative Commons License
Ten utwór jest dostępny na licencji Creative Commons Uznanie autorstwa-Bez utworów zależnych 3.0 Unported.