RESCUE AGM and The IoD: "Much of the discussion was around the Treasure consultation"

Trained to be archaeology compliant

Alan Simkins "Without wishing to provoke any of the usual arguments, can someone please factually summarise any debate and whether any consensus was reached regarding the metal detecting institute issue after the AGM at the weekend? (Admin, please lock this thread once a factually correct reply has been given)"

It turns out that the IoD instead of 'aiding revision of the Treasure Act and implementation of the Valletta Convention' (both of which turned out to have been red herrings) will turn out trained detecting monkeys:

Jude Plouviez We will publish an account of the meeting in the next eNews to members. Much of the discussion was around the Treasure consultation rather than the Institute of Detectorists, but the presentation on this was well received. If it continues to develop as planned with broad consultation among the archaeological community it could move things forward, for example providing a route to incorporating good quality detecting effectively on commercial excavations where this is not always happening at present. I will as you suggest lock this thread, but if any of my colleagues or other attendees wish to add anything to this then do contact me. Administrator wyłączył możliwość komentowania tego posta.

The point is that 'good quality detecting effectively on commercial excavations where this is not always happening at present' is not really all that much of a pressing need as sorting out the endemic problems the UK has with Collection-Driven Exploitation of the archaeological record. That RESCUE is again shying away from facilitating discussion of that as part of its social media presence is nothing surprising. Its latest 'policies for the future' on this seem now not worth much more than being 'all mouth and no trousers'. Also, surely the way artefact hunters are allowed onto archaeological projects and what they do there is at the discretion of the director and their project constraints, not any home-made pseudo-institute with or without 'broad consultation among the archaeological community' (and who runs that? Rescue? PAS?)

Anyway patronisingly patting Mr Westcott on the head and making it clear prior education would be good for those artefact hunters who are working under direct archaeological supervision is fine (So long as those who've gone through the system don't have certificates to show farmers to con them into thinking taking is OK....).