Friday, 14 October 2011

British Archaeology and the Metal Detecting Holiday Video

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NEWLY EDITED VERSION: The online version of the text about "metal detecting" from the November-December issue of British Archaeology has now been placed online. Right in the middle of the online page is something which I admit initially had me confused. On first sight it looked like one of those Internet adverts that a web-provider inserts on your page and that is what I assumed it was. The problem is that it is to a "Chicago Ron" video, and I was a bit puzzled to see what appeared to be a promotion by the CBA of Chicago Ron on its website. Fortunately, things were not as they appeared.

The situation was clarified only later on when I saw the original paper copy of the article with all the pictures, most of which were not included on the online version. It then became clear that there had been a most interesting recent transformation in the visual depiction of the "metal detectorist" on the pages of the magazine. One which is quite out of keeping with previous approaches in most of the archaeological milieu. Gone, for now at least, is the "heritage heroes" image. Good, it was the height of stupidity anyway.

Here's the original video to which the vignette refers. Dr Heyworth made no mention of "detecting" holidays it is true (but a shame). Of course, these being "metal detecting holidays", the individuals depicted include non-British metal detectorists - but digging up the archaeological record of Britain nevertheless. Embedded video below [dermatitis alert]:



Where is this coin now? What records do we have from this site?

Vignette from the British Archaeology webpage.

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