[meteorite-list] Off - Topic (for now)

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon May 8 19:43:02 2006
Message-ID: <20060508234300.54374.qmail_at_web51712.mail.yahoo.com>

http://p073.ezboard.com/fancientlosttreasuresfrm138.showMessage?topicID=130.topic


       "Archaeologists and amateurs agree pact"

MODERATOR NOTE: Special thanks to LarryKS for
submitting this article .....


Archaeologists and amateurs agree pact
By Maev Kennedy

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
Received on Mon 08 May 2006 07:43:00 PM PDT