Tuesday, 8 March 2016

Irresponsible Artefact Collecting: "Important" Knob not in PAS Database


Doxing FSA can't tell knob from pommel
Doxxing John Hooker FSA was shown a piece of bronze by a "second generation detectorist", the shape of which suggested to him it was "Dobunnic" (sic). Of the finder he says:
While I would like to give him credit by name, he must [...] remain anonymous because he does not want to attract the attention of the more fanatical Internet archaeologist bullies who are against detectorists and collectors and hold such people. and even their friends and relatives up to ridicule and harassment.
Oh yes, especially their friends. Like those that see a fifteen millimetre knob as a "sword pommel". I'll wager the detectorist's friend has never had a sword in his hand, let alone used one.

The object was found in 1996 and is apparently not yet in the PAS database. I would think that reason enough for this artefact collector and what he has stashed away at home to attract attention and wish to avoid having his name made public - though he's not above bragging about what he's got. The FSA fellow will be making the case for this piece being is "important", so why has it not been reported to the PAS? How many more important but now decontextualised individual artefacts are among the over five and a half million artefacts collectors are believed to have hoiked and pocketed but mostly not recorded since this knob was found?

TAKE A GOOD LOOK at this behaviour, for these are precisely the sort of people the PAS wants to grab more and more millions of public quid to make into the "partners" of the British Museum, archaeological heritage professionals and to whom they want us all to entrust the exploitation of the archaeological record. Take a good look and decide what you think about that as a "policy".  

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