Heritage Action: "Metal detecting: guilty, M’Lud…"

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The good, concerned, folk at Heritage Action in Britain are not archaeologists, but they put British archaeologists to shame by the sheer logic of their position over artefact hunting. Please read their newest text: 'Metal detecting: guilty, M’Lud…' for a well-argued critique of the current situation.

There is [...] a worldwide consensus that the way to prevent [looting] is to make it a crime. Except in Britain where the official position is that most detecting is “responsible” so most detecting should be applauded. We believe it is high time parliamentarians took a close look at both parts of that claim as it seems very clear to us that the official statistics indicate most finds go unreported and are lost to science. (See our Erosion Counter) On the other hand, whatever does or doesn’t get reported it is entirely unclear to us how the progressive removal of a fragile and finite resource for personal recreation or profit is ethical or in the national interest and how such a policy, so at odds with policy elsewhere, can be defended.

Beats me, too. Heritage Action notes recent developments in recognising the problems, but argues they don't go far enough. With that it is clear that - the more we look at the facts, and the way artefact hunters ignore them, try so hard to hide them and prevent anyone from discussing them - one can do nothing but concur.