4th December 2005, 04:02 AM
Hi Kevin
In respect of licencing, I can only refer you back to my earlier opinions on the matter, any kind of external attempt at licencing would either be ignored, or would just drive the hobby underground... unlike the Thames foreshore there is no effective way of policing the whole of the English countryside, for it to be effective it has to be a hobby led incentive relying on its social sensibilities.
I do agree with your ideas on intergrating detectorists with archaeological projects, this is the kind of thing I was referring to when I stated that familiarity will breed change amongst the dettecting community.
I have helped on several archaeological digs and it had a marked effect on my personal opinons of archaeology and archaeologists. This whole concept Kevin, is in my opinion paramount to a better understanding and appreciation of the responsibilities that the detectorist has to his part in conserving the resource.
David, you are right and have been on more than one occasion when advising me
it is better to talk than to shout, as I have stated on Britarch I would be more than happy to help/collaborate on a guide to MDingfor BAJR.
Troll, hope you had a thoroughly satisfying one and in response to your mention of detectors being bannded in Poland, I have no first hand information on the situation there.
However, I have talked to Italian detectorists where metal detecting is banned in some states, this has directly led to the hobby being driven underground and to the rape of literally thousands on previously unrecorded archaeological sites where information on finds and the sites has now been lost for ever, not only to the frustration of the archaeologists of that country but to the detectorist as well.
Some of those that still practice the hobby there, still unbelievably attempt to record their finds knowing that thy face may prosecution for doing so. I would hate to think that we would ever go this way within the UK.
archae_logical... I couldnt agree more..
In respect of licencing, I can only refer you back to my earlier opinions on the matter, any kind of external attempt at licencing would either be ignored, or would just drive the hobby underground... unlike the Thames foreshore there is no effective way of policing the whole of the English countryside, for it to be effective it has to be a hobby led incentive relying on its social sensibilities.
I do agree with your ideas on intergrating detectorists with archaeological projects, this is the kind of thing I was referring to when I stated that familiarity will breed change amongst the dettecting community.
I have helped on several archaeological digs and it had a marked effect on my personal opinons of archaeology and archaeologists. This whole concept Kevin, is in my opinion paramount to a better understanding and appreciation of the responsibilities that the detectorist has to his part in conserving the resource.
David, you are right and have been on more than one occasion when advising me
it is better to talk than to shout, as I have stated on Britarch I would be more than happy to help/collaborate on a guide to MDingfor BAJR.Troll, hope you had a thoroughly satisfying one and in response to your mention of detectors being bannded in Poland, I have no first hand information on the situation there.
However, I have talked to Italian detectorists where metal detecting is banned in some states, this has directly led to the hobby being driven underground and to the rape of literally thousands on previously unrecorded archaeological sites where information on finds and the sites has now been lost for ever, not only to the frustration of the archaeologists of that country but to the detectorist as well.
Some of those that still practice the hobby there, still unbelievably attempt to record their finds knowing that thy face may prosecution for doing so. I would hate to think that we would ever go this way within the UK.
archae_logical... I couldnt agree more..