In terms of the titled gentleman/vicar/landowner getting on his horse with a team miners to dig three barrows in a day then, no, antiquarianism does not exist.

BUT has the active physical digging aspect been replaced by amateurs (like those on TMA, the stones list etc) who undertake research for the love of it (some of it that does get published but believe me it doesn't cover costs, but hey it's a hobby). Some research is 'blue sky thinking' but it may trigger 'serious' (academic) study.

Can I be the first to coin 'e-antiquarianism'?! The internet is the biggest step forward in antiquarianism since the spade.

Cheers

Grendel

I think so, after a fashion. It's certainly not the antiquarian of the past (the gentlemen/vicar type as someone has mentioned), but the MODERN antiquarian def does exist, people are interested in exploring the ancient cultural heritage of the country and it makes an absorbing and addictive hobby! Looking at this web community alone speaks volumes and illustrates how many folks are spending their free time exploring the subject. I would stick my hand in the air and declare that I am a modern antiquarian.

WF

Most of the original antiquarians were little more than middle class treasure hunters. With a few notable exception their interest in the sites they dug revolved around finding grave goods. They chucked a lot of real treasure on the spoil heap (bones, ashes, pottery) in a frenzy to find something shiny that they could put on display somewhere. They wouldn't have seen it that way themselves of course. They saw it as an effective pursuit of knowledge.

To my mind Modern Antiquarianism shares very little with it's namesake. The ethos behind it (even for a train spotter like Fourwinds) is very different. Visiting a site is the focus, and nothing (but litter) is taken away. Only the fanaticism of the participants and the amateur nature of the pastime are qualities shared with the original tump diggers.

I agree with Pebblesfromheaven when she says the metaldetectorists are the closest we get to it now. Like the original antiquarians they think they destroy as much as they find. They don't see it that way themselves of course. They see it as an effective pursuit of knowledge.

Another thing to think about is the picture outside the UK, where forms of treasure hunting similar to antiquarianism are no doubt still be taking place.

K x

cheers guys and girls for all the ideas and info. After alot of book, journal and web delving and an extenstion i've finally handed in a resonable essay.
thanks again
hayley.
ps i didn't repeat the spelling error in the essay.