13th February 2007, 06:22 PM
This article in the Guardian did make me sit up and notice. Like Co. I have no problems with what both Roger and Mike say in principle, where it could have been clearer that those detectorists, who neither record with PAS or UKDFD nor see any need to record in some formalised way are those that need to be asked to reconsider this attitude. Much has already been said about all this, and we donât need to go over it again â as without the activities of detectorists, many sites and finds would go unknown into the void of either development or farming activity. This is where the praise is due and deserved. Without this knowledge then we would be poorer in our understanding of the past. With this specialist activity we are able to do that which a field survey would not âdetectâ (sorry for the pun) â the plough soil artefacts that cannot be recovered visually. Distribution/location is key to this.
I have to bring out a real âheroesâ story, where the Scottish Detector Club aided us in East Lothian to detect the site of Pinkie Battlefield site. Gridded out and located â each find was recorded, even the grotty bits of iron that both I and the group thought were pretty duff.. however, news back from Tony Pollard is that this is the finest assemblage of military material from the 16th â 19th centuries he has ever seen from a single location, with elements of the Battle of Pinkie.. perhaps even Prestonpans and also Militia material from the Napoleonic and later periods of the local Yeomanry. I realised myself that what I thought were bits of tractor, were in fact vital clues about a little understood battle (if not 2 battles) - This would have been lost without the help of the SDC.. but also would have been lost if they had not been recorded and examined. The more we work together and this seems to becoming more and more common.. the more the prejudices and perceptions from both archaeologists and detectorists will disappear. It was sad to see a detectorist say that he did not feel educated enough to be an archaeologist â as I would say that all it takes is an interest in the past, and a desire to find and share both the thrill and the story behind the findâ¦I for one have no degree, just a dogged determination and a love for the past and what it can tell us. Often class is cited as a differentiation between archaeologist (middle class) and detectorist (working class). I would say .. perhaps many archaeologists have been to Uni. But they are just as human as anyone else â and as to education.. I have learned as much about finds from detectorists as I have from books and specialists. It was interesting to see on another thread here about courses, that people have found no bias or anti feelings from fellow course students.. things are changing.. the old them and us is blurring and there are those on both âsidesâ that would prefer it not to be so.. to them I say⦠tough⦠we are all in it together and I personally enjoy both archaeology in the sense of digging blinking great holes in the ground as well as working with detectorists and digging blinking small holes. As long as the aim is to add to our shared heritage then my attitude is one of dialogue, support (both ways) and acceptance. Vive la difference and Vive la fraternity.
David Lammey may use any words he wants⦠after all he is after votes
I can only say from my point of view that I would prefer to work with rather than against detecting as a hobby..
"No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu
I have to bring out a real âheroesâ story, where the Scottish Detector Club aided us in East Lothian to detect the site of Pinkie Battlefield site. Gridded out and located â each find was recorded, even the grotty bits of iron that both I and the group thought were pretty duff.. however, news back from Tony Pollard is that this is the finest assemblage of military material from the 16th â 19th centuries he has ever seen from a single location, with elements of the Battle of Pinkie.. perhaps even Prestonpans and also Militia material from the Napoleonic and later periods of the local Yeomanry. I realised myself that what I thought were bits of tractor, were in fact vital clues about a little understood battle (if not 2 battles) - This would have been lost without the help of the SDC.. but also would have been lost if they had not been recorded and examined. The more we work together and this seems to becoming more and more common.. the more the prejudices and perceptions from both archaeologists and detectorists will disappear. It was sad to see a detectorist say that he did not feel educated enough to be an archaeologist â as I would say that all it takes is an interest in the past, and a desire to find and share both the thrill and the story behind the findâ¦I for one have no degree, just a dogged determination and a love for the past and what it can tell us. Often class is cited as a differentiation between archaeologist (middle class) and detectorist (working class). I would say .. perhaps many archaeologists have been to Uni. But they are just as human as anyone else â and as to education.. I have learned as much about finds from detectorists as I have from books and specialists. It was interesting to see on another thread here about courses, that people have found no bias or anti feelings from fellow course students.. things are changing.. the old them and us is blurring and there are those on both âsidesâ that would prefer it not to be so.. to them I say⦠tough⦠we are all in it together and I personally enjoy both archaeology in the sense of digging blinking great holes in the ground as well as working with detectorists and digging blinking small holes. As long as the aim is to add to our shared heritage then my attitude is one of dialogue, support (both ways) and acceptance. Vive la difference and Vive la fraternity.
David Lammey may use any words he wants⦠after all he is after votes
I can only say from my point of view that I would prefer to work with rather than against detecting as a hobby.. "No job worth doing was ever done on time or under budget.."
Khufu