A haul of rare Bronze Age ornaments uncovered near a new housing development in Portchester has been donated to to Hampshire Cultural Trust, which plans to exhibit them this year (Richard Lemmerm, '
Metal detectorist uncovers a hoard of rare Bronze Age ornaments in Portchester', The Portsmouth News
Friday, 10th April 2020).
A lucky metal detectorist, who has not been named, discovered a rare type of clothing pin, a pair of arm rings, and part of an axe, as well as knife and spear fragments, on land north of Cranleigh Road, Portchester before the coronavirus lockdown [...] they date back to the Middle Bronze Age – more than 3,000 years ago.
The discovery was made on land owned by Persimmon Homes, as part of their 120-home Harbourside View development, but the developer waived its right to an ex-gratia financial reward, usually given when historic artefacts are found on private land.
It does not say whether the finder kept his share of the money.
A haul of rare Bronze Age ornaments uncovered near a new housing development in Portchester has been donated to to Hampshire Cultural Trust, which plans to exhibit them this year (Richard Lemmerm, 'Metal detectorist uncovers a hoard of rare Bronze Age ornaments in Portchester', The Portsmouth News
Friday, 10th April 2020).
Given that the Treasure Registrar leans over backwards to report generosity by treasure hunters it seems unlikely he waived his share. But then, did he have a share anyway? He certainly should have, if he was on the land with the owners' blessing. It's all a puzzle.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is odd that the newspaper, having started the story with "lucky (but anonymous) detectorist", did not tell its readers how much he got...
ReplyDelete