PAS Treasure Report

[BAJR Host]

The point here is that in general.. and that is 99.99999% of cases.. we don't actually find treasure... thats not the area we deal with. In Scotland of course, it is different, and often misunderstandings can creep in there too... were number of Treasure Finds is divided between number of Finders and multiplied by Population divided by square kilometres and then doubled... etc...

Every Site, every assemblage must be put through the Treasure Panel Reporting Procedure... it is then either decided as Treasure or not... IF it is decided to be a Treasure Case, it then goes through a rigorous procedure, to establish validity of claim..

a recent (infamous) case, proves the point on the tough nature of Scottish TT

quote: One particularly problematic case, alluded to in last year’s report, was brought to a conclusion
during this period. This concerned the reporting to National Museums Scotland staff, and
thereafter to the TTU, of a wide variety of Roman finds of metal, pottery and glass from an
extensive area not far south of the Highland Edge. The material in question, recovered mainly by
the use of metal-detectors, potentially represented a very significant addition to the corpus of
Roman sites and Roman finds in Scotland. For a number of reasons there were doubts about
whether all this material was genuinely from the location mentioned. Following extensive
investigation, including the involvement for the first time on behalf ofTT in Scotland of forensic
scientists, it was concluded these finds were almost certainly recent introductions to the findspot
from outwith Scotland. In light of this, the extensive collection was not claimed on behalf of the
Crown, as at least a considerable proportion of it did not meet the requirements to be treated
through Scottish TT. It is clearly the case that material which elsewhere – whether further south
within Britain or indeed further afield – may hardly be marketable, might potentially attract an ex
gratia payment through the TT system in Scotland. The TTU and the Panel are conscious of this
possibility, and so, with the advice of the QLTR, have put a statement on our website to the effect
that we will investigate any further cases deemed to be suspicious.

Here, large reserves of time and effort were used to ensure that false reporting did not take place, thus ruining the historical/archaeological record of Scotland. To say the TT is rigorous is an understatement.. and unlike our Southern Cousins, the TT in Scotland is a voluntary panel, unpaid, but still effective... more cash please!

I don't think we can draw too many conclusions from statistics and comment ... You are right.. that many archaeologist will not know all the rules and regs... though.. a digger or supervisor or Illustrator or Surveyor, for example, is not going to have to.

It would be like asking why a detectorist does not know about PPG 16

"Gie's a Job.."
Prof. 'Dolly' Parton