Minelab, the firm that creates metal detectors allowing artefact hunters to mine the archaeological record for collectables for personal entertainment and profit, has become a supporter of the US lobby group Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights Foundation. The "Task Force is a not-for-profit organization with the singular mission to promote and defend the lawful hobby of recreational metal detecting on public lands and waterways across America". Well, actually as we have seen, it's not so much about following the existing law, still less instilling "best practice" but about getting the law changed to favour the removal of archaeological and historical finds from the ground for personal entertainment and profit. Minelab obviously see some profit to be had here for themselves too. Minelab has recently raised over $41,000 in funds for the Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights Foundation :
"This funding will continue to help support their efforts to educate and rally detectorists across North America to positively and effectively help protect all the lands and waterways from which we strive to discover history"."Protect" them, that is from being turned into areas where the buried history is protected from exploitation by artefact hunters. Minelab should be ashamed of themselves. Truly responsible metal detector users would boycott firms which support such groups. (But then don't Minelab, anyway, produce machines with backlit screens, for use on remote sites at night? Who'd buy one of them?)
Vignette: Minelab - "Treasure Through technology"
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