28th December 2005, 08:21 PM
Speaking as a Metal Detectorist I for one think that expectations have been set far to high at this moment in time.
I personally record all my finds to 10 fig NGR's, my finds are recorded with PAS and UKDFD and any finds of significant interest are donated with the landowners permission to Bristol City Museum. This offer is open ended and my local FLO has acquired a few Saxon items this year. I charge nothing and ask only for a letter of thanks to my landowners who land I detect. My finds are GPS'ed, they are then logged in my database, they are then recorded with both PAS and UKDFD. I follow archaeological guidelines on preservation/conservation and finally curating the small collection I have. The vast majority of the finds go back to the land owners with paperwork stating where the finds came from. The local HER/SMR have all this information. I don't think there's much I'm doing wrong in the standards I have set myself, but I'm realistic enough to know that after 25 years of doing this that I'm still in my approach a pioneer in a fairly young hobby.
Given time people like myself Gary, SteveB and John will change and are changing attitudes toward this end.
I do believe that I add my own responsible angle to the common heritage, which in my view is not just the domain of a qualified group.
I have always taken the view that recording to significant numbers of detectorist is still something to be won over. Yes there will be a continued loss of recorded material, but I think you'll find that many do keep records that could be used at a later date.
In my view there is a lot of peer pressure being driven hard by growing numbers of recorders, so give us some credit and some space to make sure we reach take off speed. Once we do there's no turning back, but at the moment where at least taxing to the right runway!
Evil to him who thinks evil.
I personally record all my finds to 10 fig NGR's, my finds are recorded with PAS and UKDFD and any finds of significant interest are donated with the landowners permission to Bristol City Museum. This offer is open ended and my local FLO has acquired a few Saxon items this year. I charge nothing and ask only for a letter of thanks to my landowners who land I detect. My finds are GPS'ed, they are then logged in my database, they are then recorded with both PAS and UKDFD. I follow archaeological guidelines on preservation/conservation and finally curating the small collection I have. The vast majority of the finds go back to the land owners with paperwork stating where the finds came from. The local HER/SMR have all this information. I don't think there's much I'm doing wrong in the standards I have set myself, but I'm realistic enough to know that after 25 years of doing this that I'm still in my approach a pioneer in a fairly young hobby.
Given time people like myself Gary, SteveB and John will change and are changing attitudes toward this end.
I do believe that I add my own responsible angle to the common heritage, which in my view is not just the domain of a qualified group.
I have always taken the view that recording to significant numbers of detectorist is still something to be won over. Yes there will be a continued loss of recorded material, but I think you'll find that many do keep records that could be used at a later date.
In my view there is a lot of peer pressure being driven hard by growing numbers of recorders, so give us some credit and some space to make sure we reach take off speed. Once we do there's no turning back, but at the moment where at least taxing to the right runway!
Evil to him who thinks evil.