Soon after the recent sad demise of the proprietor of the Federation of Independent Detectorists comes a worrying development. FID was already no friend of either conservation or landowners – its “Code” doesn’t require members to report to PAS and its “finds agreement” leaves farmers wide open to abuse by crooks. But things have now got worse – Central Searchers has taken it over.
That organisation repeatedly holds rallies at venues opposed by archaeologists. In addition it maintains a notorious rule: farmers get no share of any find worth below £2,000, as secretly judged by the detectorist! Both issues, their rally venues and rules have now been hidden from public view for the declared purpose of avoiding them being repeated by “troublemakers”! The organisation isn’t small – last year 500 detectorists (i.e. 12.5% of all detectorists) paid it £30,000 to attend its Summer Rally. Unsurprisingly, it demonstrably attracts many of the worst characters in detecting – and indeed in Society. Now it controls the second largest metal detecting body in Britain with many thousands of members.
Will FID’s already awful code and finds agreement be retained (despite its controlling body being regularly in breach of both)? Or will new, worse standards be imposed? Who knows? Either way, it seems that after 16 years of expensive public outreach a major portion of “metal detecting” has fallen prey to what some might see as kakistocracy – government by the most unqualified or unprincipled citizens. It often happens in states which lack a comprehensive network of governing laws and no-one could deny that metal detecting in Britain with it’s reliance upon laissez faire and voluntary behaviour is akin to a lawless state. It’s profound food for thought for The Establishment. If Britain’s portable antiquities policy was working as originally intended or currently claimed, Central Searchers would have withered away long ago for lack of support.
Wouldn’t it.
Update 17 March 2014
It seems Central Searchers may have been holding an inappropriate rally in the face of official opposition just before the above article was published. Here’s the Comment that has been posted:
“This is awful..I found this blog after searching for info on what I observed just yesterday..15 march 2014…driving along the A14- almost exactly the same place by the looks of your photos…at least 150 people across a ridge field, all with metal detectors..I wondered if it was an organised search for something so googled it and found this article…I cannot believe that the profit of a few has overridden the good sense of so many, our heritage is truly endangered…”
What will it take for there to be official condemnation? We’ve had threats sent to us by Central Searchers rally attendees and the people who stopped on the A14 layby to photograph the previous rally had to drive away as they were approached by an aggressive group led by this fellow.
When will the authorities break their silence about what is going on along the A14 corridor and elsewhere?
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More Heritage Action views on metal detecting and artefact collecting
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10 comments
Comments feed for this article
16/03/2014 at 08:33
lanceleuven
Worrying developments indeed.
16/03/2014 at 09:34
Sarah Good
This is awful..I found this blog after searching for info on what I observed just yesterday..15 march 2014…driving along the A14- almost exactly the same place by the looks of your photos…at least 150 people across a ridge field, all with metal detectors..I wondered if it was an organised search for something so googled it and found this article…I cannot believe that the profit of a few has overridden the good sense of so many, our heritage is truly endangered…
16/03/2014 at 16:11
heritageaction
Yes, that does sound like a repeat visit but of course the Central Searchers venues are now hidden.
“our heritage is truly endangered…” – yes, by slow stages. The standard scenario with rallies is to do with economics not archaeology. They continue to be held until the finds rate falls below what the customers are prepared to pay for – in other words, the land is mined until exhausted.
Makes you proud to be British, doesn’t it! 🙂
17/03/2014 at 12:25
detectorbloke
Actually there is anecdotal evidence to suggest XXXXXXXXX keep holding rallies way after the finds rates have dried up by either planting finds or telling people they can’t have their money back.
17/03/2014 at 12:33
heritageaction
We’ve put a few Xs into your post to keep us and you safe. 🙂
We’re truly shocked though. Bad faith? Planting finds at rallies? You sure you’re talking about Britain?
😉
24/03/2014 at 20:31
Colin Brunt
This is an increasing problem, especially in the UK. Unfortunately there’s little appetite with politicians to face these problems head-on
10/07/2014 at 17:13
fred bloggs
I know someone who used to frequent this group, nothing to be paid to the farmer unless it exceeds £2000…thats terrible, who are they to dictate this to the farmer, the farmer should receive 50% of all treasure items.
They claim to have found lots and lots of great finds from just about every site that they advertise to their members and this gentle man that I know told me that they are full of rubbish and lies, they just tell lies to grab these poor peoples money.
Apparently they cant be bothered to work, ***************** and yet they earn lots of money holding digs, using their snackwagon and now you say they have taken over the FID.?
My Gentleman friend only refers to these people as scum
10/07/2014 at 17:29
heritageaction
Part deleted for legal reasons
04/08/2014 at 21:40
Malcolm Beagle
What does the farmer receive of anything of any value found by so-called professional archaeologists when they do their excavations. Speak to the people at the British Museum and other Museums about metal detectorists and you’ll get an unbiased response. More has been learnt about our history by detectorists reporting to PAS than you would have us believe.
05/08/2014 at 06:43
Neil Masters
“What does the farmer receive of anything of any value found by so-called professional archaeologists when they do their excavations.”
Ummm …. all of it!
I think you just shot yourself in both feet!