[MSN] Archaeologists and amateurs agree pact

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Archaeologists and amateurs agree pact 

Maev Kennedy
Tuesday May 2, 2006
The Guardian 


The acquisition by the British Museum of a thumbnail-sized chunk of battered
inscribed gold - a very rare runic inscription, probably hacked up by
Vikings centuries after it was made - marks a historic truce between
archaeologists and metal detectors after decades of skirmishing.
While amateur users of metal detectors have made some of the most
spectacular archaeological finds of recent years, many archaeologists have
regarded them as little better than hobby looters.

Now, after months of negotiation, the two sides are set to announce a code
of conduct. The code, which will be launched at the British Museum today,
has been agreed by all the main metal detector clubs, landowners,
archaeologists, museums, archaeological societies and English Heritage.
"This is the end of the war between the archaeologists and the
detectorists," said Roger Bland, an archaeologist seconded by the British
Museum to head the Portable Antiquities scheme, which encourages voluntary
reporting of finds. "There is a long history of antagonism and suspicion,
but once all parties have signed up to this we believe this is a real way
forward."
The code commits metal detector users - there are an estimated 180,000 in
Britain - to working only in the top layer of disturbed ground such as
ploughed fields, with the landowner's permission, reporting all finds, and
stopping immediately and calling in expert help if anything significant
turns up.

The code of conduct will not satisfy some archaeologists, who would like to
see metal detectors licensed or better still banned.

Geoff Wainwright, former chief archaeologist at English Heritage, said:
"Whichever way you code it, what people are actually doing is removing
objects from their archaeological context, losing the priceless information
which would be gained from proper excavation."

The little piece of gold which the British Museum is acquiring was found
near Colchester in Essex by Corinne Mills, an amateur who has set up her own
website campaign for responsible detecting.

Detector successes

The Coenwulf Coin Gold 8th century coin found in 2001 by metal detector in
riverside common at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Ringlemere Cup Bronze Age gold cup found in a field near Ramsgate, Kent, in
2001

The Winchester Hoard Almost a kilo of Iron Age pure gold jewellery found
scattered across a field near Winchester by Kevin Halls in 2000

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1765522,00.html