21st December 2007, 03:45 PM
I have posted this here at Hosty's request after reading the original post on the UKDN. (Thanks David)
To date, most of the UKDN campaign to support the PAS has been centred around the hobby of metal detecting, to a degree this is rightly so, given how the PAS impacts upon and liaises with the hobby.
However, although many of us are fully aware of the Portable Antiquities Scheme's wider activities, many on here may not be so aware.
Many of us already know of the stats I am about to draw your attention too, again many will not be. To add credibility to this post I will draw the stats from the recent post on the CBA's website.. (so as not to be seen to be drawing facts out of the ether).
Let's for the duration of the rest of this post put to one side (but not forget) the aspect of metal detecting and look at how the PAS has interacted with the wider public and vise versa.
I'll begin with the PAS database, which has been stated elsewhere, detectorist may well be the main contributors to it, but we are not the main beneficiaries..
Impressed?.. well theres more, lets a look at the practical outreaching:
Awesome, that is in just ONE year! and they cant all be detectorist, considering we are numbered at around just 8,000!
Extra services include:
As an ambassador for UK Archaeology:
Also:
Although most strangely the MLA now want to review the PAS to make it more efficient.. just how more efficient can one get than to exceed set targets?
Why make this post?
Because it is important to bear in mind that where ever the support for the PAS may come from, be it a metal detecting forum, individuals, or an Archaeological body such as the CBA, there are always many more reasons than just our own narrow view point (as equally valid as they may be) as to why the PAS should be supported..
It is so that the British public as a whole can continue to benefit from the wide range of services that the PAS has to offer, be they finds recording, assembling study data, data sharing, encouraging both adults and especially children into the nations museums, legitimising the hobby through documents such as the Code of Practise, Policing the Internet, acting as a role model for UK Archaeology abroad, generating a greater public understanding of archaeology, etc, etc, etc..................
I have seen some try to denigrate the support we have offered on the UKDN, by accusing us of only supporting the PAS because of our own selfish needs.
This is not only an insult to our individual and collective integrity, but a self acclaimed intellectualist' argument that we are supposedly incapable of understanding the wider impact of the PAS on the British public.
Naturally the intent is a crude attempt to convince those in power that the PAS itself only exists to cater to a measly 8,000 detectorists... totally ignoring the above facts that conclusively prove that we are just a part of the wider PAS picture.
Thanks you for reading this and please do sign the E petition and write to your MP informing of EDM 566 Portable Antiquities Scheme and ask him to add his name to the list, ask him to write to the DCMS..every extra name helps.
And remember this isn't just about you and me and a metal detector!
http://www.detector-distribution.co.uk
If a job is worth doing, then its worth doing it tomorrow!
Homer (Simpson)
To date, most of the UKDN campaign to support the PAS has been centred around the hobby of metal detecting, to a degree this is rightly so, given how the PAS impacts upon and liaises with the hobby.
However, although many of us are fully aware of the Portable Antiquities Scheme's wider activities, many on here may not be so aware.
Many of us already know of the stats I am about to draw your attention too, again many will not be. To add credibility to this post I will draw the stats from the recent post on the CBA's website.. (so as not to be seen to be drawing facts out of the ether).
Let's for the duration of the rest of this post put to one side (but not forget) the aspect of metal detecting and look at how the PAS has interacted with the wider public and vise versa.
I'll begin with the PAS database, which has been stated elsewhere, detectorist may well be the main contributors to it, but we are not the main beneficiaries..
Quote:quote:The data generated by PAS is increasingly being used for research: 17 recently-completed or current PhDs and 30 other dissertations which use PAS data, and PAS is a partner in 8 AHRC-funded research projects.
Quote:quote:At least 416 articles about the work of PAS were published or broadcast in 2006, including academic publications, articles in the popular press, and reports on television and radio.
Quote:quote:In 2006, 247,103 unique visitors visited the PAS database and website (http://www.finds.org.uk) and there have been almost 82 million user hits; a 62% increase on 2005â6. New features have been developed including educational resources for children and a Roman coin identification guide.
Quote:quote:54 HERs have now signed the data transfer agreement and have access to PAS data and we have also agreed in principle with Exegesis to develop a PAS module for their HBSMR programme.
Impressed?.. well theres more, lets a look at the practical outreaching:
Quote:quote:In 2006 PAS organised 776 outreach events, attended by 37,500 people, including 7,522 children
Awesome, that is in just ONE year! and they cant all be detectorist, considering we are numbered at around just 8,000!
Quote:quote:as part of National Archaeology Week 2007 PAS staff were involved in 69 events across the country, attended by 6,925 people and examined 2,331 finds.
Quote:quoteAS has proved effective at bringing people into museums who don't otherwise attend them; 46% of visitors to Fabulous Finds Days (Museums & Galleries Month 2005) had never previously been to that museum before.
Quote:quote:FLO's add important element of expertise to many, especially smaller, museums, many of which have lost archaeological curators over the last few years. <snip> 8% of finds recorded by PAS (24,000 over last ten years) enter museums.
Extra services include:
Quote:quote:In 2006 MLA and the BM concluded an agreement with eBay to monitor the site for unreported Treasure. During the first year 183 cases were investigated further and consequently the number of Treasure finds has declined markedly. A member of PAS staff has become a special constable with the MP'S Art & Antiques Unit.
Quote:quote:In 2006 a Code of Practise for Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales was endorsed by the main archaeological, metal-detecting and land-owners' organisations. For the first time this provides an objective statement of what is meant by responsible metal-detecting, focusing on the importance of find recording and avoiding damage to archaeological sites.
As an ambassador for UK Archaeology:
Quote:quote
Also:
Quote:quote:The 2006 PAS 'User Survey' showed a majority of respondents 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that PAS was successful in meeting its aims, and in every case the positive response increased between 2004 and 2006. PAS has exceeded in its targets set by MLA.
Although most strangely the MLA now want to review the PAS to make it more efficient.. just how more efficient can one get than to exceed set targets?
Why make this post?
Because it is important to bear in mind that where ever the support for the PAS may come from, be it a metal detecting forum, individuals, or an Archaeological body such as the CBA, there are always many more reasons than just our own narrow view point (as equally valid as they may be) as to why the PAS should be supported..
It is so that the British public as a whole can continue to benefit from the wide range of services that the PAS has to offer, be they finds recording, assembling study data, data sharing, encouraging both adults and especially children into the nations museums, legitimising the hobby through documents such as the Code of Practise, Policing the Internet, acting as a role model for UK Archaeology abroad, generating a greater public understanding of archaeology, etc, etc, etc..................
I have seen some try to denigrate the support we have offered on the UKDN, by accusing us of only supporting the PAS because of our own selfish needs.
This is not only an insult to our individual and collective integrity, but a self acclaimed intellectualist' argument that we are supposedly incapable of understanding the wider impact of the PAS on the British public.
Naturally the intent is a crude attempt to convince those in power that the PAS itself only exists to cater to a measly 8,000 detectorists... totally ignoring the above facts that conclusively prove that we are just a part of the wider PAS picture.
Thanks you for reading this and please do sign the E petition and write to your MP informing of EDM 566 Portable Antiquities Scheme and ask him to add his name to the list, ask him to write to the DCMS..every extra name helps.
And remember this isn't just about you and me and a metal detector!
http://www.detector-distribution.co.uk
If a job is worth doing, then its worth doing it tomorrow!
Homer (Simpson)
http://www.detector-distribution.co.uk
If a job is worth doing, then its worth doing it tomorrow!
Homer (Simpson)
If a job is worth doing, then its worth doing it tomorrow!
Homer (Simpson)
