By Nigel Swift
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A metal detectorist was left “shaking with happiness” after discovering a hoard of Bronze Age artefacts in the Scottish Borders. But what struck me was this: “He found the first item at around 10am, 60 centimetres (24 in) below ground level. He immediately reported it to the Treasure Trove Unit and National Museums Scotland. The site was covered with a tent until the professionals arrived. There followed 22 days’ work on-site, during which Stepien and his friends camped in the field to protect the site and to observe the archaeologists’ work“.
Compare and contrast the fact that he found the first item 24″ below ground level” with what happened in the official searches for the Staffordshire Hoard, using machines that went nowhere near as far down as that and this subsequent “forensic search” that gave the assurance that all/most gold had been found down to a level of 11″.
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Better machines with greater depth capability ought to be used there, even at this late stage. Maybe Mariusz Stepien and his friends, who seem pretty responsible, could be financed by the local museums to come down? What could be lost? Much could be gained.
Contrary to the hopes of some, the nagging about this is not going to go away. Why should it?
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More Heritage Journal views on artefact collecting
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2 comments
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21/02/2021 at 08:09
Paul Barford (@PortantIssues)
Mariusz Stępien sounds as if he might be Polish, and in Poland, the majority of detectorists are of a totally different calibre from the type of folk that take it up in the UK.
It’s an interesting contrast between the way he acts while abroad and the way British tekkies (tell us themselves on the forums that they) behave when in France, Spain, Portugal, and indeed in Poland when they simply ignore local laws and grab what they can for themselves.
21/02/2021 at 09:06
heritageaction
Strongly agree. The ones I have met are a different species. We reported to that effect in 2012, our report on a Polish rally: “More polite, better educated and by all accounts keen to do the right thing. (Does the European approach of having rules attract more thoughtful people than the British one of no rules? Could be.)” https://heritageaction.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/report-on-the-polish-metal-detecting-rally-near-luton/
The level of dedication and responsibility Mariusz displayed in his words to the BBC were striking. That’s why he and a couple of his friends with GPX 5000 machines or even GPZ 7000 ones would be well worth inviting.