21st November 2008, 10:41 AM
I was of course playing Devil's advocate in my previous post, and not seriously suggesting archaeologists start haggling over whether they can claim treasure rewards!
However, the ownership is never an issue - it always belongs to the land owner unless some prior agreement has been made.
Since archaeologists are excluded from claiming treasure, why not also exclude them from any money that could be made from collecting scrap metal from the site or even flogging old flag stones or cobbles (these things do happen)? It just seems a bit random and further encourages the view perpetuated by the media that treasure is only found by accident.
I was particularly amused by recent coverage of a major Roman find apparently made by utilities contractors while water pipes were being laid - by which they meant found by archaeologists during a routine assessment. It doesn't fit the media's cosy view when such things are done in an organised framework in response to recommendations made as a planning condition placed some months before anyone went near the site. Once again archaeologists don't get the credit due to them.
Anyway, I seem to have lost the plot a bit.
However, the ownership is never an issue - it always belongs to the land owner unless some prior agreement has been made.
Since archaeologists are excluded from claiming treasure, why not also exclude them from any money that could be made from collecting scrap metal from the site or even flogging old flag stones or cobbles (these things do happen)? It just seems a bit random and further encourages the view perpetuated by the media that treasure is only found by accident.
I was particularly amused by recent coverage of a major Roman find apparently made by utilities contractors while water pipes were being laid - by which they meant found by archaeologists during a routine assessment. It doesn't fit the media's cosy view when such things are done in an organised framework in response to recommendations made as a planning condition placed some months before anyone went near the site. Once again archaeologists don't get the credit due to them.
Anyway, I seem to have lost the plot a bit.