It’s no secret, most hoards are dug up without waiting for an archaeologist, always using the same false excuse:
Couldn’t contact an archie, couldn’t guard it, might have been stolen if left overnite, so ….”
Medway History Finders still haven’t admitted they did anything wrong at their 2014 Rally (see above!) and they even boasted that “The BM and our FLO said we done the best thing by taking out what we could” so it’s a worry they’ve announced another rally later this year as presumably if they find another hoard they’ll do the same thing. Accordingly, since PAS’s outreach to detectorists is akin to a newsletter from an adoring fan club and even the (widely flouted) Rally Guidelines merely say hoards should be dealt with in “an appropriate manner”, here are our Finding a Hoard Guidelines (something we’ve had on the Journal since 2011).
We know detectorists including Medway History Finders read what we write so the point of reiterating it after 5 years is to ensure they’ll have zero excuse if they ignore it. It would also be nice, wouldn’t it, if CBA et al who are far less sanguine than PAS about mass knowledge theft, reprinted it verbatim (or improved it if they can, which we doubt). Or will it be the usual scenario, “quite agree but not coming from thee”?
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2 comments
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09/04/2016 at 09:02
Edwin Deady
Seems reasonable. Enthusiasts and just decent people do similar in other circumstances. Person missing at sea, patrol a beach all night. Rare bird nesting, twenty four guard mounted. There is even a search, including children for a stuffed toy lost after being attached to a balloon, at considerable inconvenience to their parents. After all those finding a hoard are supposed to be passionately interested in history and regardless of financial reward the sheer excitement of being associated with such a discovery should bouy them up during the night.
To be fair, isn’t it true that years ago the local police would also have assisted as they did at Sutton Hoo etc?
09/04/2016 at 10:48
Nigel S
Well expressed Edwin, statistics show beyond argument that MOST detectorists don’t act like the “decent people” you cite. But beware, acknowledging that fact is likely to get you attacked by an organisation whose continued funding is entirely dependant upon not saying so ….
http://paul-barford.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/flo-attacks-heritage-action.html
http://paul-barford.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/update-artefact-hunting-parners.html
Britain is a bit bonkers when it comes to safeguarding it’s own history. No other country has got itself in such a muddle!