It has been confirmed that Sheffield University Archaeology Department, rated as one of the top 50 archaeology schools in the world, is to lose its funding. Similar threats hang over the archaeology departments of the Universities of Chester, Aston, London South Bank and Leicester.
It is to be hoped that some archaeologists and academics will point out to the Government that it’s not a good look for Britain considering that right now a hundred people are digging at a money-making grabfest at as secret location.
We believe it’s somewhere near Leighton Buzzard (with 3 others planned there) but similar events are held somewhere in England by Let’s Go Digging every single week).
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More Heritage Journal views on artefact collecting
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The Heritage Journal 
16 comments
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30/05/2021 at 12:27
Tish Farrell
Oh dear. I graduated from Sheffield’s prehistory and archaeology dept when there were only a handful of archaeology courses (Colin Renfrew) days. Makes me feel very old, the old department being defunded.
30/05/2021 at 18:06
bneilb25
Are you guys ex hunt saboteurs looking for some other hassle. It seems that you are totally ignorant to the history metal detecting has revealed. Start looking at your own lives and work on enriching them with positivity.
14/07/2021 at 14:15
Martin Wright
I’m sure there will be plenty of nice finds recorded so stop condemning people enjoying their hobby. most of us look forward to a good old social get together. I am saddened to hear about the closure of the Sheffield department, surely this only strengthens the need for Archaeologist’s to work with and educate detectorists rather than against them, the alternative is a battle you can never win. Back in the 80s thousands of people started a campaign to legalise CB radios, Radio HAMS where dead against it and the ruling Government said it would not be changing the law, 24 months later they did a complete U-Turn and legalised the sale and use of CB radios in the UK, why? because of the pressure from the massive numbers of users and hundreds of clubs that the hobby had generated. learn from the past or become extinct.
14/07/2021 at 15:38
heritageaction
Point missed
15/07/2021 at 21:50
Martin Wright
Point not understood!
16/07/2021 at 07:17
heritageaction
If you think “there will be plenty of nice finds recorded” and “most of us look forward to a good old social get together” are compensations for the loss of Sheffield Archaeology Department then you never will understand.
16/07/2021 at 14:46
Martin Wright
Why twist around everything posted by detectorist, there will be some nice finds recorded, and I’m also saddened by the news off he loss of Sheffield Archaeology Department, its you that’s not prepared to allow yourself to understand.
16/07/2021 at 15:17
heritageaction
No twisting, it’s simply that decontextualized finds are no match for archaeological study.
16/07/2021 at 18:04
Martin Wright
And when did I say otherwise, I was just highlighting that there is a positive side of metal detecting as a majority of people would agree, and not for one minute comparing with archaeological services and studies. We aren’t all in it for the money, I have and will continue to donate anything that museum’s show an interest in, much better on public display than sat hidden in someone’s private collection, but that a different story isn’t it.
17/07/2021 at 04:15
heritageaction
Every single detectorist who comes here says I report/donate everything. The stats show most don’t.
17/07/2021 at 14:46
Martin Wright
If most detectorists don’t report or donate finds, how can there be any stats, perhaps you would like to share where you have obtained these stats and how they can be confirmed.
17/07/2021 at 15:14
heritageaction
Too silly to respond.
18/07/2021 at 15:46
Martin Wright
Game set and match.
19/07/2021 at 06:48
heritageaction
Yes, if one is too thick to compare 27,000 detectorists with the number of items reported to PAS!
19/07/2021 at 12:07
Martin Wright
You have absolutely no idea about how many recordable items are found but not reported, you are just plucking ridicules numbers out of the air with absolutely no way of backing up your claims, surely you can’t think we find something of recordable interest each time we go out, for most of us such finds are extremely rare, the typical finds are pre decimal coins and lots of junk.
Our local FLO isn’t interested in seeing the odd hammered coin or Roman fibula in fact most of time she can’t be contacted and doesn’t reply to emails either.
ebay is sometimes mentioned on this site, well to honest most of the listings that are genuine metal detecting finds are of zero interest to anyone and sell for literally a few pounds.
The truth is you have absolutely no interested in anything to do with metal detecting, however you may be surprised to learn that a lot of metal detectorist are actually interested in archaeology believe it or not.
I would like to see more programs dedicated to showing archaeological digs and also responsible metal detecting groups, defiantly not like the previously staged productions such as The detectorist or Crime Team with Tony Robinson.
At the end of the day we both have very different opinions and views on these subjects which makes life interesting if nothing else, probably enough said by me on this thread so I will leave it for someone else to voice their views.
19/07/2021 at 13:01
heritageaction
My opinion of what is found is based on four well-known surveys including one held by detectorists of which you seem to know nothing so yes, by all means, desist.