Damaging Christmas gifts for metal detectorists!

In 2011 we asked…

“Has PAS ensured that every landowner is aware there are metal detectors disguised as walking sticks and a new generation of deep-seeking metal detectors that pose a potential threat to archaeology?“

“The Rover UC metal detector is disguised as a walking stick and allows searching in areas where you couldn’t with common detectors. Without arousing public interest and getting curious looks, you can scan places you never could scan before.”

OK, the walking stick detector is rarely used but how many hundreds of thousands of detectors capable of penetrating far below the disturbed plough soil have been in Xmas stockings since 2011? By all that’s rational PAS should be warning landowners which detectors shouldn’t be allowed on their land. So why don’t they?

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More Heritage Journal views on artefact collecting
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