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December 2, 2008
Year in Metal Detectorism Review
The BBC posts a round-up article on some of the most splendid finds of the year - with a slide show of good photographs!
Here are the two most significant sentences about policy and amateur archaeology:
The Treasure Act in 1996 ruled that finders and landowners would be eligible for rewards for finds.Museums have since reported a 10-fold increase in items of treasure offered to them.
What used to happen to finds? Well, less was found before metal detectors were invented and became popular, but what was found sometimes took the same path into local museums but otherwise might have sat on shelves in houses around Britain or have been sold on the private market without ever being documented.
Now, at least, someone's keeping some serious attention on what turns up. The Portable Antiquities Scheme site is a great place to watch the process - I visit often!
Posted by CrankyProfessor at December 2, 2008 6:02 AM