A Lancashire Detectorist's View of Archaeologists

    Thomas Hall, Preston UK (Facebook)  

In the comments to a previous blog post we see a whistle-blowing detectorist's account of what archaeology looks like in Lancashire in the UK. If true, that would explain why many British archaeologists see nothing wrong with collection-driven exploitation of the archaeological record (if they are simply pocketing it themselves). Where are the archaeological 'professional bodies' on cases like this? Mind boggles.  

Thomas Hall (20 March 2021 at 04:21   25 March 2021 at 14:41   26 March 2021 at 11:08   26 March 2021 at 11:47 ) said:      

I knew an archaeologist who had the most delightful fireplace made entirely from Roman stone. He showed it me himself and was quite proud of it, I will not name names only tell you that he worked on site at Ribchester. [...] The stone was taken from the remains of a house wall which was as is a common archaeological practice, bulldozed during excavations. [Give me my little trowel any day.] If you are not sure of what I am accusing this person then stealing from a scheduled site would seem to fit the bill. Also I never even mentioned his coins which, after placing his finger down the side of his nose in a 'keep this to yourself' manner he showed me. Need I go on??? [...] do you even think that I would be such a cad as to name one of your fellow 'grave robbers' nay, give me at least a little credit. I am but a humble detectorist who, whenever I needed to gain permission on a particularly difficult site would call upon the assistance of a Field Archaeologist with whom I was acquainted who, flashing his credentials would request that the landowner give us permission to conduct an 'Electronic Sweep' of his grounds, it worked every time. [...] The coins were secreted into his pockets, I have observed the 'digs' as they call them, my friend the planet Academia upon which you and thankfully a dwindling number of your fellow bigots reside, is facing destruction by what is known as 'Artifact Blitzkreig' that is the preference of the general public to view treasures uncovered by metal detectorists rather than a few stone walls bulldozed into view by a few so-called academics. [...] I was present and watched my friend on a a few of those 'digs' observed all of them closely, a nod and a wink from those in the trench to their friends observing, are you so nieve [sic] that you, and your fellow inhabitants of the planet Academia cannot see through the mist of ignorance and prejudice which surrounds it? [...] If the British Museum was full of photos of dry stone walls, trenches and bulldozers, do you thin the public would frequent it? No, of course they wouldn't they wish to see the treasures unearthed by people such as they, METAL DETECTORISTS.....

What kind of archaeological outreach are artefact hunters from the North of England, so far from Bloomsbury, getting? To what extent are Mr Hall's views characteristic of the whole up there? And what archaeological authorities are authorising the use of bulldozers within the scheduled areas of Ribchester? As for the cheapskate archaeologist, if he wants to collect coins they are pretty cheap and legal to buy on eBay.uk, no need to steal them from the archaeological record. Name and shame is what I would suggest - and then (if this is true) prosecution.