Metal Detecting and Its Part in Discovering Ancient Artefacts

Coins, jewellery and antiquities are excellent ways of looking into the lives of those who have gone before us and one of the most popular ways of finding such items is with a metal detector. It is only in recent years that these machines have made it possible for people who aren’t museum staff or archaeologists to find and actually see or own antique jewellery or other pieces of a bygone age.

Metal detectors began to appear on the 1960’s in a very basic format but by the 1970’s the technology had improved and more and more people were taking up this new hobby. Initially the favourite places were the beaches around the UK coast but it soon became apparent that there was a great deal to be found inland as well.

Huge numbers of items were discovered, giving a much greater insight into how people lived in earlier eras and museums were continually adding to their collections. Unfortunately, some believed that amateur detectors could prove a threat to nation’s hidden heritage rather than a benefit and attempts were made to have restrictions put on the use of metal detectors. Fortunately for those who love to explore and discover compromises were reached and codes of conduct agreed upon to allow metal detecting to continue.

This has proved to be hugely beneficial as there have been some major archaeological discoveries made by amateur detectorists who have informed the authorities immediately and left the discoveries as found for the archaeologists to excavate and protect.

Unfortunately there are also occasions when detectorists have searched on unauthorised property such as the Thetford Treasure which was found at Gallows Hill in 1979. The discovery was made on land cleared for building work by someone who didn’t have the permission of the land owners to search there. When he discovered silver spoons, gold rings and bracelets amongst other items, he didn’t report his find as he should have done because he hadn’t been authorised to search there. He later attempted to sell to private buyers which is when archaeologists learned of the find but by this time, the land had been built on and the finder was terminally ill and died a month or so later so there was no way to establish what else could have been there. The collection which dates from the 4th century AD is now at the British Museum but there is no way of telling how much larger the collection could have been.

On a more positive note, a discovery in Germany by a British Army officer with a metal detector was later confirmed by archaeologists to confirm that a battle in AD 9 where over 20,000 Romans were killed was not held where it had previously been thought. History had to be revised!

As technology improves, the design and ability of metal detectors also improves and there is still plenty of hidden treasure and ancient antiquities out there to be discovered. But you must adhere to the regulations and ensure that any finds are reported and suitably investigated to maintain the items and hopefully to restore them to their former glory.

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