It’s no secret that here at Heritage Action, we are no fans of the vast majority of metal detectorists. Whilst there may be a legitimate place for such instruments (sorting through spoil heaps on a dig, used as legitimate geofizz tools for analysis with no digging), it’s our avowed belief that on balance their use does more harm than good, and we make no apologies for our stance on the issue.
Indeed, this stance is hardened when we hear the same propaganda being espoused by members of metal detecting clubs, and so we proudly present: the top 5 lies detectorists like to tell:
5. “I’m only in it for the history”
Headlines make history. Large payouts for treasure finds make headlines. Of course they’re only in it for the history, just not in the way they want us to think.
4. “It’s been in my collection for ages”
Of course, if it had been dug up recently, then it should have been declared as treasure…
3. “I got it off someone who’s had it in their family for years”
See above. Of course, lack of provenance makes an object less valuable, particularly for those studying the distribution of such objects…
2. “It’s only a piece of grot”
To a detectorist, possibly, probably only because the Ebay price is so low. If it’s only grot, why do so many detectorists have buckets full of the stuff? (Ref: YouTube)
And the top lie told by many detectorists:
1. “Of course, actually we’re saving the history before it corrodes in the ground”
No, what you’re doing is damaging the context from which an object came, thus destroying the history. It’s not all about the shiny geegaws. A lot of detecting takes place on undisturbed land and even plough soil is a context – ask the Battlefields Trust! Corrosion is actually not a major problem in many soils, and gold wouldn’t corrode in a million years.
So what porkies have you heard from/about detectorists? Tell us in the comments.
.
__________________________________________
More Heritage Journal views on artefact collecting
__________________________________________
The Heritage Journal 
12 comments
Comments feed for this article
30/04/2021 at 09:01
bneilb25
I will never cooperate with another FLO again only if the law requires me to. I will never donate my finds to a school or museum again.
I find that your opinions and thinking are very distorted, to the point that I think you have issues.
Your self portrayal of your own importance and superiority are so annoying that I must take a stance.
I would like to behave now in a manner that meets your expectation, however I can’t because that is not my ethic.
30/04/2021 at 11:42
heritageaction
“I will never cooperate with another FLO again”
But we’re not FLOs!
“I will never donate my finds to a school or museum again.”
But we’re not a school or a museum!
30/04/2021 at 16:32
Martin Wright
Perhaps if you was less aggressive towards detectorists you would earn more respect Paul, fortunately most of the new generation of archaeologists in the UK are working with detectorist instead of against them. Watch out for a new tv documentary showing the good side of metal detecting. Times have changed, its not the frowned upon hobby that it was back in the seventies. You talk about the five porkie pies, but never a mention of the five iced buns.
1.Tens of thousands raised for deserving charities like Cancer Research, Rainbows, Hospices, Reach for a Star and so on.
2. The enjoyment the Staffordshire hoard has given to so many since being on display.
3.The benefits that metal detecting has brought to so many struggling with mental health issues.
4.The interest in history this hobby generates.
5. The chance to socialise with others from all corners of this wonderful world, including our many Polish detectorist.
I know you will never agree with the way things are in the UK, however sometimes your rants are like a record that’s got stuck.
30/04/2021 at 16:59
Alan S
Are you referring to Paul Barford?? He is not associated with this site at all, apart from having a common interest in reducing exploitation of the archaeological record.
30/04/2021 at 21:16
bneilb25
Exactly Alan!!! You are nobodies !!!! Your opinions mean nothing. Your view of certain elements in the hobby are shared by the majority of honest and decent ones . Your air of superiority and entitlement over the history that belongs to us all is so misplaced. Why not give people a place in your “hate journal” for people to share their experiences and finds and let your followers make up their own minds on evidence and not speculation.
01/05/2021 at 09:23
Alan
“Your view of certain elements in the hobby are shared by the majority of honest and decent ones .”
And therein lies the problem! Sadly the ‘honest and decent ones’ appear to be very much a minority!
01/05/2021 at 10:08
bneilb25
Where is your evidence for that statement
01/05/2021 at 10:49
Tim L
PAS stats. Jeez.
01/05/2021 at 11:17
Paul Barford (@PortantIssues)
Martin Wright (whoever the hell he is) postulates:
“Perhaps if you was less aggressive towards detectorists you would earn more respect Paul”,
This is the second time in two weeks i have been accused of being someone else. There is only one genuine Paul Barford, and he is not “Alan S.”
Your Iced buns look a bit sickly to me. I can’t stand Dunkin’ Donuts. Four of them look like benefits for the metal detectorists – who we should never forget are a minority group among the stakeholders.
01/05/2021 at 11:54
Paul Barford (@PortantIssues)
There is another piece of evidence that there are not huge numbers of “the honest and decent ones” in the hobby that share this conservation group’s views on the damage done to what is left of the archaeological record by irresponsible artefact hunters.
That is the fact that the vast bulk of comments posted on this blog by metal detectorists are clearly OPPOSED to what Heritage Action say, and that they are saying it.
If there really was the major body of responsible guys in the hobby that you claim who share this group’s concern, they’d be over here in droves virtue-signalling like mad, wouldn’t they? But they are not. That’s most probably because they do not exist.
This blog has been going since March 2005 – check out how many positive comments have been made by detectorists in agreement with these concerns, and then tell us they are a majority.
01/05/2021 at 17:34
bneilb25
You people really need to grow up and get a grip. Maybe it is jealousy that drives your hatred towards detectorists . The fact that a working class person can contribute more to the history of this country than most in this hate group could ever imagine.
02/05/2021 at 17:27
heritageaction
Point entirely missed.
People not on these dreadful rallies find far more, Duh.