What is being described as a "1,800-year-old hoard, including a bust of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius", has been, as they put it, "secured" thanks to generous support of Richard Beleson, other individual donors, Art Fund and David Aaron Ltd ('RARE ROMAN BRONZES ACQUIRED BY THE YORKSHIRE MUSEUM', 13th October 2021)
The 13cm bust is part of a collection of bronze objects found by metal detectorists James Spark and Mark Didlick in a field near Ampleforth in Ryedale, North Yorkshire, in May 2020. [...] The purchase was made possible largely thanks to the generosity of American donor Richard Beleson, with additional funding through Art Fund and a number of individual donors. This enabled York Museums Trust to make the purchase from David Aaron, who originally acquired the hoard at auction.[...] Reyahn King, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said: “On behalf of York Museums Trust I am incredibly grateful to Richard Beleson, Art Fund, the other individual donors and David Aaron who have made the purchase of this incredible hoard possible.” [...] Mr Beleson has been interested in Roman Britain since his childhood and first came to York in 2010 to attend a symposium on the coinage of Roman Britain. [...] "The situation of this discovery, with detailed and reliable provenance information, makes the hoard even more significant".Hmm. A findspot is not the same as an archaeological context (Ampleforth Tales (I): Clearing out the Desk). And like the "All-Buckinghamshire Too-Bad-Harness Brooch" sold by Hansons a few months back, again we can see here that there would be very good financial reasons for taking the items to the PAS on their way to the auction block. Again, PAS is involved in the process of enhancing market values of archaeological material. The dealer's gallery is in Berkley Square, Mayfair.
David AaronVignette" Were the metal detectorists invited to Mayfair to view their finds on display in the gallery?
Originally founded in Isfahan, Iran in 1910, David Aaron Ancient Arts is widely recognised as one of oldest and the most pre-eminent galleries in the world for important and exquisite antiquities and ancient works of art. The scope of the collection includes Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Persian, Central Asian, Near Eastern, Islamic and Indian works of art. Over the last century the gallery has helped to assemble some of the best known private collections and has worked with major museums worldwide. Directors David and Salomon Aaron represent the third and fourth generations in this family business.
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4 comments:
Hi Paul, I actually found these items along with Mark. If you need any details clearing up about the find, how we did it or anything else that can help you further then please get In touch. It might stop the ramblings from you on here that are pure conjecture and only written to make myself and Mark look bad. Have a great day.
Is that "Anonymous anonymous" or "Anonymous- James-Spark-who-is-mentioned-in-the-article-I-am-QUOTING"? We need to know, this blog does not accept anonymous comments.
Yes, tell us how you recorded the archaeological context before you and the landowner decided to flog them off through Hanson's to a Mayfair dealer. Why is that "ritual plumb bob" associated with the other items?
Do you really think I should write to make collection-driven-exploitation of the archaeological record look "good" - especially when the items end up being flogged off?
What is "rambling" about that?
Hi paul, bit of an aggressive response but I'll answer your questions best I can:
As a metal detectorist my knowledge of recording the archeological context is limited but I try to be as continuous as possible so I contacted the FLO (as instructed when something significant is found) and followed their instructions - photographs the area/ finds in the ground, dont clean the finds and leave the soil on etc.
The plumb bob was found directly under the bust in the ground so by association it was classed as part of the hoard.. thought that would be standard to be fair? Would you expect us to throw it away because it didnt 'fit' with other hoards etc.??
I know your not a fan of metal detecting Paul but as one we try to do everything as directed by the FLO and other relevant bodies
Nameless-anonymous-detectorist thinks it is "aggressive" of me to criticise his hobby.
I would be interested to know what the "FLO and other relevant bodies" had "directed" them specifically to do. There is a Code of Practice that tells people like this that "being responsible means" keeping off land that would be described as "General landuse: Grassland, Heathland". https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1013510
So that seems rather selective "doing as directed" to me.
As for being "continuous" (sic) and reporting the find, we have to ask ourselves whether those four artefacts loose and unreported just surfacing in a Hansons sale without a PAS legitimation would have reached 185000 quid for the finders and landowner? I suggest not, and there would be very good financial reasons for taking the items to the PAS on their way to the auction block.
"As a metal detectorist my knowledge of recording the archeological [sic] context is limited" well, '....king right it is. But that does not STOP 27000 of you trashing archaeological contexts to hoik out millions of artefacts (archaeological evidence) for private collection and sale all over the country year after year. All we get in the MINORITY of cases is an "x-marks the spot findspot" and the objects flashed to the FLO on the way to a collector's pocket or the auction house.
"The plumb bob was found directly under the bust in the ground" Despite having a very LONG PAS "record" of this group (https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1013510) a large chunk of which is "conjecture" (quote) about the plumb bob, an anonymous comment tucked away on a Polish guy's blog is the only place where that piece of contextual information is recorded in the public domain. This is really a bit pathetic.
And the anonymous metal detectorist shies away from answering my question, why does he think that an archaeologist should be writing to make collection-driven-exploitation of the archaeological record look "good" - especially when the items end up being flogged off?
Enormous destruction of archaeological information is being lost by irresponsible behaviour - by artefacts being ripped out of unrecorded contexts, here reportedly on heathland, the vast majority of which
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