Thicko Heritage

Hoot shows you just the glittery stuff

"Chester Unlocked" asks:

Have you been to visit #Hoot's Hoards yet? Here's a sneak peak at the Roman Dutton Hoard @ChesterTownHall

"Hoot's Hoards is the final 'exhibit' in the popular citywide museum trail, Hoot's Route. Three hoards of ancient treasure buried across Cheshire over the centuries will be displayed throughout Chester city centre. A previously unseen hoard of Roman coins in the Town Hall, a collection of Viking silver in Santander Foregate Street and a Civil War stash in the Grosvenor Museum from 13th-24th October, Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm".

It is interesting to contrast thee ad ho displays of decontextualised hoards with the arguments offered elsewhere in the museum world for Encyclopaedic Museums. 

But what a cheek, first the public have to fork out their money as a ransom to get back their heritage from the finders who, if after an inquest they got their hands on it would flog it off and split the dosh with the landowner who let them hoik historical finds. Then they get some patronising claptrap about fictional owls inviting them to go on a treasure hunt to see it. I am guessing that not all inhabitants of Chester and the surrounding regions have the mental age of the average metal detectorist.