spanish hawk
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- Jan 8, 2020
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Recently English Heritage has urged the public to help fight the rise of illegal metal detecting at its historic sites.
Ancient locations such as the site of the Battle of Hastings 1066 and Old Sarum in Wiltshire have been targeted by illegal detecting, the organisation said.
The conservation body said such action, known as "nighthawking", was "robbing us of our past".
There were more than double the number of metal detecting activities recorded in 2019 than two years ago, it added.
The charity said that December 2019 was the worst month for reported incidents in more than four years.
Chief executive Kate Mavor said the organisation was working with local police and Historic England but also needed the public's help - to report any suspicious activity on or near English Heritage sites.
"Illegal metal detecting robs us of our past," she said.
"Once items are spirited away they can never be replaced, and the evidence of those who went before us is lost forever."
Interesting article. Yes it's wrong. Yes you should have permission or the correct permits to detect..
However many of these ancient sites are well known and you wonder why the clever archaeologists have not used their own detectors to look. Certainly no lack of money and volunteer archaeology students in the last fifty years. You would of thought they had hit well known ancient sites many times themselves.
I fear there is an element of snobbery involved here too.
Another point to mention is museums around the world are full of artefacts that have been removed by archaeologists without much permission.
One recent example of many.
Raider of the Lost Vases: Archaeologist spared jail for stealing 17th century relics and selling them on eBay
James Vessey, 35, took three 17th century Bellarmine vases while excavating earth for the SouthGate shopping centre in Bath, Somerset in 2008.
But Vessey, who was employed by the Museum of London Archaeology to work on the dig, was caught when another archaeologist found the vessels, which date back to 1650, for sale on eBay last year.
These are the very same type of people who are now crying foul today?
I would like to suggest that the so called experts who can't seem to find these artefacts themselves approach detecting clubs and draw a balance by asking for help while offering permission to many of these sites. Even charge a small fee.
Lets hope both parties work something out or it will lead down the old road of more government control and who knows possible registration of metal detectors etc. That is not what we want!!
Ancient locations such as the site of the Battle of Hastings 1066 and Old Sarum in Wiltshire have been targeted by illegal detecting, the organisation said.
The conservation body said such action, known as "nighthawking", was "robbing us of our past".
There were more than double the number of metal detecting activities recorded in 2019 than two years ago, it added.
The charity said that December 2019 was the worst month for reported incidents in more than four years.
Chief executive Kate Mavor said the organisation was working with local police and Historic England but also needed the public's help - to report any suspicious activity on or near English Heritage sites.
"Illegal metal detecting robs us of our past," she said.
"Once items are spirited away they can never be replaced, and the evidence of those who went before us is lost forever."
Interesting article. Yes it's wrong. Yes you should have permission or the correct permits to detect..
However many of these ancient sites are well known and you wonder why the clever archaeologists have not used their own detectors to look. Certainly no lack of money and volunteer archaeology students in the last fifty years. You would of thought they had hit well known ancient sites many times themselves.
I fear there is an element of snobbery involved here too.
Another point to mention is museums around the world are full of artefacts that have been removed by archaeologists without much permission.
One recent example of many.
Raider of the Lost Vases: Archaeologist spared jail for stealing 17th century relics and selling them on eBay
James Vessey, 35, took three 17th century Bellarmine vases while excavating earth for the SouthGate shopping centre in Bath, Somerset in 2008.
But Vessey, who was employed by the Museum of London Archaeology to work on the dig, was caught when another archaeologist found the vessels, which date back to 1650, for sale on eBay last year.
These are the very same type of people who are now crying foul today?
I would like to suggest that the so called experts who can't seem to find these artefacts themselves approach detecting clubs and draw a balance by asking for help while offering permission to many of these sites. Even charge a small fee.
Lets hope both parties work something out or it will lead down the old road of more government control and who knows possible registration of metal detectors etc. That is not what we want!!
