Re: Nighthawking | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

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scubi63 Nov 9, 2009 11:25:46

Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:

scubi63 wrote:

Interesting report on the BBC news this morning about illegal metal detecting.

In the report Joe Cowley quite bravely confronts two of them walking away from the scene.

A short part of the report can be found here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8346965.stm

I believe there is going to be a full piece on Inside-Out South tonight that should be available on iPlayer for those outside the area.

I watched this with interest Scubi, thank you. These people are clearly in the wrong or they would not need the cover of darkness to do what they are doing, though personally I find these confrontational 'gotcha' programmes that the BBC seem to specialise in, a bit tedious.

The whole question of metal detectoring is a different matter though. Thankfully, by and large the archaeological world has stopped vilifying detectorists and started to some extent working with them which why the Portable Antiquities Finds Scheme was set up. Without some of the truly amazing finds such as in Staffordshire and more recently near Stirling, our knowledge of the ancient world would surely be less.

http://www.finds.org.uk/

I tend to dislike the gotcha aproach too, but the fact is the field was a protected site and what they were doing was illegal and if that approach stopped their game for the night then that is good as far as I am concerned.
Surprising though was that there were no police involved or at least I didn't see any. I hope the BBC reported the incident!
MD is a difficult subject that has been covered before on this forum and therefore I am not going to dig up that subject again ;o)

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Pilgrim Nov 9, 2009 11:30:04

Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:

[quote="scubi63"]
The whole question of metal detectoring is a different matter though. Thankfully, by and large the archaeological world has stopped vilifying detectorists and started to some extent working with them which why the Portable Antiquities Finds Scheme was set up. Without some of the truly amazing finds such as in Staffordshire and more recently near Stirling, our knowledge of the ancient world would surely be less.

http://www.finds.org.uk/

Hi tjj

My opinion? And I'm aware this has been done to death here, so I won't stay long, but:

It should be stopped. Banned. Made a criminal act.
Oh....and the PAS? A VOLUNTARY Reporting Scheme? For a "hobby" that people enjoy beacause they might find "treasure"? The same PAS with which OF COURSE they're SO keen to comply?

http://www.heritageaction.org/?page=heritagealerts_metaldetectingartifacterosioncounter

if it wasn't so bloody depressing, I'd laugh

Peace

Pilgrim

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Squid Tempest Nov 9, 2009 11:52:14

Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:

scubi63 wrote:

Interesting report on the BBC news this morning about illegal metal detecting.

In the report Joe Cowley quite bravely confronts two of them walking away from the scene.

A short part of the report can be found here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8346965.stm

I believe there is going to be a full piece on Inside-Out South tonight that should be available on iPlayer for those outside the area.

I watched this with interest Scubi, thank you. These people are clearly in the wrong or they would not need the cover of darkness to do what they are doing, though personally I find these confrontational 'gotcha' programmes that the BBC seem to specialise in, a bit tedious.

The whole question of metal detectoring is a different matter though. Thankfully, by and large the archaeological world has stopped vilifying detectorists and started to some extent working with them which why the Portable Antiquities Finds Scheme was set up. Without some of the truly amazing finds such as in Staffordshire and more recently near Stirling, our knowledge of the ancient world would surely be less.

http://www.finds.org.uk/

I know this has all been covered before, but I really don't think metal detecting can possibly be a good thing, no matter how many artifacts are unearthed by it. In fact, the more things that are found, the more our historical heritage is destroyed. By taking finds from their original setting without a proper archeological dig is just appalling. It really should be illegal.

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Paulus Nov 9, 2009 15:40:50

Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:

The whole question of metal detectoring is a different matter though. Thankfully, by and large the archaeological world has stopped vilifying detectorists and started to some extent working with them which why the Portable Antiquities Finds Scheme was set up. Without some of the truly amazing finds such as in Staffordshire and more recently near Stirling, our knowledge of the ancient world would surely be less!

Spot on June! If there's summat working well, it should be developed. Simple as.

May I ask - to those with real emotional vents against MD's: have you queried in yourselves as to why this issue gives rise to such exaggerated emotional responses? If y' get wot I mean... If not...

You know the psychology of Born Again xtians? The "nothing will stand in the way of my notion of Jesus" stuff? Izzit akin to that psychological realm do you think? Or is the subject a simple humanistic one?

Yours, intrigued - Paulus