17th January 2008, 04:41 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by garybrun
A thought.
Is an archaeologist always an archaeologist or only when he gets paid?
I know of an archaeologist, who while cycling to work in Milton Keynes found a 17/18th century gold mourning ring that had eroded out of a river bank... He was later paid for the ring via the archaeology unit he worked for. So it would seem because he wasn't at work (working) he was entitled to the award.
Website for responsible Metal Detecting
http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
Recording Our Heritage For Future Generations.
Hi
In legal terms it is up to the Coroner who owns finds under Treasure Trove or more recently the Treasure Act and he/she will almost always award it to the landowner and the finder (normally because agreements between MDs and landowners are in existence). Just picking up a gold ring and selling it to another party may well have been (and is almost certainly now) illegal as it was not the finders to sell, making the unit potentially guilty of receiving stolen goods and the finder of (poss.) aggravated trespass and theft.
Under the Treasure Act an archaeologist cannot gain financial award whether at work or not. So any archaeologists who detect as a hobby cannot claim treasure under the Act and it is awarded to the landowner or local/national museum if on local authority held land.
Steven