4th July 2005, 04:46 PM
Based on my experiences in archaeology it is not just metal detectorists who use metal detectors but also bogus aviation archaeologists and organised criminals involved in looting antiquities. Also from my experience of archaeologically-monitored detecting and portable antiquities schemes many detectorists throw away things they cannot identify, ignore and destroy non-metallic objects, and lack the surveying ability or GPS equipment to accurately record the position of their finds or even the depth they were found at. It is true that many stray finds are in the topsoil, but it is not feasible (or possible) to restrict metal detecting to the topsoil, how many detectorists clean the section of their holes to check? In an ideal world I would like to see the use of detectors restricted to archaeologists but I am at a loss on how this would be implemented.
Organised criminals send gangs armed with metal detectors hundreds of miles to despoil sites and sometimes earth-moving equipment is used to steal an entire site which is then dumped in a ware-house and scanned with detectors. This happens in Britain, you would be horrified at what goes on. Some of the worst abuses happen in aviation pseudo-archaeology where war graves are violated and corpses stripped of jewellery and clothing, live ammunition is exposed and distributed putting the public at risk and artefacts end up being sold for profit. You may think I am somewhat draconian but a lot of what goes on is seriously out of order, I have jeopardised my safety to report people to the police, so strong are my feelings on the subject.
As for seeding, as anyone who has dug on a site that has had problems with nighthawks knows, it is an effective, if random, way of impeding their progress, if it can be used to protect sites under excavation it can be used to protect unexcavated sites. Other countries have taken steps to keep looters at bay and we should do the same.
I hope this has made my position clearer, as for your comments that I am ?out of tep (sic)? and ?lets it ou (sic),? I hope you can see that these illustrate what I mean by people hitting the keyboard and posting without forethought.
Organised criminals send gangs armed with metal detectors hundreds of miles to despoil sites and sometimes earth-moving equipment is used to steal an entire site which is then dumped in a ware-house and scanned with detectors. This happens in Britain, you would be horrified at what goes on. Some of the worst abuses happen in aviation pseudo-archaeology where war graves are violated and corpses stripped of jewellery and clothing, live ammunition is exposed and distributed putting the public at risk and artefacts end up being sold for profit. You may think I am somewhat draconian but a lot of what goes on is seriously out of order, I have jeopardised my safety to report people to the police, so strong are my feelings on the subject.
As for seeding, as anyone who has dug on a site that has had problems with nighthawks knows, it is an effective, if random, way of impeding their progress, if it can be used to protect sites under excavation it can be used to protect unexcavated sites. Other countries have taken steps to keep looters at bay and we should do the same.
I hope this has made my position clearer, as for your comments that I am ?out of tep (sic)? and ?lets it ou (sic),? I hope you can see that these illustrate what I mean by people hitting the keyboard and posting without forethought.