Metal Detecting Q&A

[garybrun]

Amen to that Steve...
After reading through many posts on this site its good to see some civilised people with constructive criticism and willing to listen to other views.[8D]

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
Recording OUR heritage for future generations.

[Steve-B]

quote: (and after conversations with metal detectorists, I bet at least a few of the objects are being dug up from within sealed burials), imagine what it is doing to the skeletal remains...

Education and a standard set as an example from the top Sniper...its what is missing from the hobby, education, an organisation prepared to set standards and familiarity with archaeological practices..

[Curator Kid]

quote:Originally posted by Steve-B
You could try to get metal detectors outlawed, but I think the likelyhood of that is less than slim, or alternatively we could try working together as I suggested.

Seems pretty pointless to me to keep working against each other when the solution to most problems could so easily be achieved with a little give and take on both sides.

Hi Steve,

Your points above are ones that I generally agree with. However, reading through the Valletta Convention, it seems to me that there are provisions that could indeed see metal detecting effectively banned as a hobby, if there was the political will to do so. While this is not what I'm advocating, I'd be interested to know how the Convention was received within the detecting communtity, and what (if any) actions the MD's took to ensure that the Convention wasn't implemented in this way.

[mercenary]

quote:You could try to get metal detectors outlawed, but I think the likelyhood of that is less than slim, or alternatively we could try working together as I suggested.

I agree that it is unlikely to happen, and I'm not sure that I would want it anyway. I have worked many times with responsible metal detectorists in East Anglia where PAS seemed to start earlier than other places. Two individuals in particular were working regularly as excavators as well as detecting archaeological sites. Banning the hobby would have lost these skilled people to the profession.

[Steve-B]

Hi Curator Kid... I wasnt referring to the hobby, rather to an earlier remark that the metal detectors themselves could become illegal.

I agree that banning the hobby would lose some skilful help to the archaeologist, but metal detecting, the hobby, does not just have its uses there.

Working alongside excavators on archaeological sites is important, but any work that is done there is only ever site specific.

With respect, the metal detectorist, or electrically aided field walker, enhanced field walker, cyberwalker..sorry getting carried away there...... ok the metal detectorist is actually capable of providing so much more than site specific information... working in conjunction with yourselves we could help fill in the gaps in between the sites, building up a much larger picture of the wider locale.

I know this is being done to some degree by recording with the PAS but it is mainly an unstructured accumulation of data... its a shame that recording could not be promoted more locally with more local archaeologists talking to local detectorists and asking for specific finds information on areas surrounding specific sites..

Again familiartity breeds acceptance.

The Valetta Convention is obviously, from the detectorist point of view seen as a potential threat to the hobby.

Actions?.. unfortunately the only 'representative' organisation that the hobby has makes it abundantly clear that it speaks only for its members. I personally find this irresponsible, as it has a duty to the hobby as whole.

In the main there is no one focal point for the hobby, so any actions taken are going to be fregmented.

This is why I have stated several times both here ands elsewhere (as have others) that an organisation, not necessarily politically active, but certainly progressive needs to be constructed to promote good practice and set standards from within the hobby.

[john1504]

Interesting observation Steve. But how would a non-politically active organisation possibly influence decisions that are made at a political level?

[john1504]

Sniper. I fully agree with your concern over the treatment of human remains that are found by detectorists. The various organisations which exist for Metal Detecting, have their own code of practice/conduct. Each one I have seen emphasises that any human remains that are discovered should be reported IMMEDIATELY to the authorities, even if there is doubt whether they are human or not.

The problem lies in relying upon the detectorist to follow the code. It is known, and in some cases documented, that destruction of cemetery sites has occured. There have been cases where Anglo-Saxon brooches, the type normally found as grave goods, have been found by detectorists in soil which has been transported from another site.

Proving that the cemetery was destroyed deliberately is nigh on impossible, as is proving that detectorists have acted other than as the code of practice suggests. There has to be a certain amount of trust that the correct procedure is being followed in all cases where such finds are made.

One solution to the problem of 'protecting' sites like you mention, is to organise a 'field day'. Basically, a day/weekend where archaeologists and detectorists meet up with the intent to go over, literally, every inch of the area concerned. Once the area has been searched like this a couple of times, and make sure it is highly publisised, there will be nothing (or at least very little) for the 'nighthawks' to find. It won't be worth their effort. In the meantime, the local archaeologists have had much to record, the detectorists have had their day(s) out detecting, and the area has now become undesirable to those who would plunder the site.

[Steve-B]

quote:Interesting observation Steve. But how would a non-politically active organisation possibly influence decisions that are made at a political level?

First of all by providing a standard for those that practice the hobby to aspire to, naturally this will to some degree influence how the the hobby is percieved by politicians etc. Unfortunately, as the hobby has up to now been remiss, if not downright irresponsible in not providing this, it is little wonder that the hobby is seen in such a bad light.

Secondly, by allowing any organisation that is politically active and does not in itself promote these ideals, to call upon it as an example of the hobby's determnination to promote recording and responsible detecting.

[john1504]

quote:providing a standard for those that practice the hobby to aspire to..

What 'standard' would this be? Seeing as there already exists codes of practice within the hobby, how would you enforce the usage of this 'standard'?

[BAJR Host]

What standards would you suggest john.



Another day another WSI?