In another post I count how many recordable archaeological finds are shown on the pages of two current issues of metal detecting magazines, one of which contains the PAS annual report for 2012. For the "Searcher" we are talking about 144 PAS-recordable (datewise) coins and 112 recordable objects.
For the Treasure Hunter there are 136 PAS-recordable (datewise) coins and 126 recordable objects. If each of the items pictured was recorded on a public database (such as the PAS database) the reader could learn about it there more details than can ever be put in a caption under a photo. Also such a record would mean that the object was found (and is being curated by) a responsible detectorist. So why, in fact is there absolutely no reference in either publication, under any of the photos, to show the individual pictured finds have been responsibly recorded in such a database? How many of the objects pictured in "the Searcher" and the PAS' new journal of record, "Treasure Hunter" are actuallyu recorded in teh PAS database? That surely is a fundamental statistic (and one that should be in the annual report published in the same magazine as rows and rows of photos of dugup objects). Or is that a statistic the PAS would rather not discuss?
Why do the magazines not promote responsible detecting by insisting that no object will be considered for publication unless it has been responsibly recorded, and the finder supplies the record number as proof, and then that record number is published for everyone to see how responsibly the hobby is being done, and how the magazines are promoting responsible attitudes?
For a decade now we've had a nationwide PAS in operation, let the hobby magazines for responsible detectorists reflect how widely that scheme is in fact being used.
3 comments:
"Why do the magazines not promote responsible detecting by insisting that no object will be considered for publication unless it has been responsibly recorded"
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No doubt PAS has suggested it but has been rebuffed as it would be publishing suicide as most detectorists don't report all finds to PAS, shock horror!
Yet they publish their report in one of those magazine and submit regular articles to them. Educational material on Elephantidae in the Ivory Hunters Gazette....
Do you really believe that the PAS has suggested it?
Who knows?
What matters though is that no national detecting organisation, no detecting club (except one) and no hobby magazine says members/readers/ participants MUST behave in a civilised fashion towards heritage.
That's quite something isn't it? So if PAS HASN'T asked them all to act otherwise what the hell are they doing?
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