Museum Secures Iron Age Hoard After Reaching £10,500 Target

OODLES of pukka archaeological information no doubt came out of this keyhole "archaeology"
 alongside the "gotta-gettem-orl-out" artefacts. Don't leave shovels blade up around the trench.

A rare Iron Age hoard — including a 2,000-year-old horse harness brooch, Roman coin, and enamelled bowl handle — will remain in public hands after the Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum successfully raised the £10,500 needed to acquire it.

The hoard, found in 2020 by a metal detectorist in Rotherfield Peppard, near Henley-on-Thames, had been at risk of being sold into a private collection if funds weren’t secured by 6 October. But after a last-minute fundraising push, including public appeals and donations through the Oxfordshire Museum Resource Centre, the charity announced with gratitude that the goal had been reached.

The hoard was buried in a pottery urn around AD 50–150, shortly after the Roman invasion. It includes:

A enamelled copper alloy brooch from a horse harness
A fibula
A silver Roman coin
An enamelled bowl handle
A lead weight

Declared treasure, the hoard was excavated by archaeologists after being reported by the detectorist who found it. Experts quickly realised its rarity and significance — particularly the horse harness brooch, which has been described as the best-preserved example since the Polden Hill hoard of the early 1800s.  The Oxfordshire Museum service now plans to put the hoard on public display, ensuring that it remains accessible to residents and visitors alike. Donors who contributed over £20 will be invited to a special preview of the collection.

Angie Bolton, the museum’s curator of archaeology, emphasized the importance of this moment:

“This hoard belongs to all of Oxfordshire. Now, for the next 2,000 years, everyone will have the chance to see it, enjoy it, and be inspired by it.”

I would ask though, why did the public have to buy back its own heritage from artefact hunters?

While it’s a victory that the Oxfordshire hoard will now remain in public hands, the process by which it got there surely deserves scrutiny.

Why, in a supposedly equitable and heritage-conscious society, must members of the public crowdfund to keep ancient cultural artefacts — found in their own countryside — from disappearing into private collections? Why is the public expected to pay what is effectively a ransom to retain access to objects that are part of their shared history?

Under UK law, when someone finds "treasure" (as legally defined), it's not automatically owned by the state. Instead, the finder and landowner are entitled to a market-value reward, often determined by the potential price the object could fetch on the antiquities market. The museum, even if it represents the public interest, must then raise that amount to "buy" the item. If the money is not raised the objects go back to the landowner (who often have a private agreement with the finder).

This market-driven approach:

      Treats heritage as commodity: something to be bought, sold, or withheld

      Risks cultural loss if museums can’t raise the funds in time

      Penalises underfunded public institutions, while rewarding private gain

      Creates a perverse incentive for more valuable finds to end up in private hands or foreign markets

Contrast this with other countries — like Poland, France, Italy, or Egypt — where heritage items belong to the state by default, and are protected as part of the national patrimony. In those systems, objects of historical or archaeological significance cannot be privately owned or traded in the same way, and are instead safeguarded for the public good.

So yes, while we can celebrate the community effort that saved the Oxfordshire hoard, and while acknowledging that 'the law is the law', we should also be asking: Why did we have to buy back what should never have been for sale? British archaeologists, any comments?

Because there is another question here. Noddy the Detectorist was good enough to follow the Code of Good Practice (as the law reequitres) and report the items so "the archaeologists could conduct an excavation" as we see in the attached photo of a nice clean square hole. But just look at that, I dont think you could have a much smaller one. Noddy and farmer Giles got £10,500, the archaeologists look almost as they dug a hole for a fiver plus petrol money. What on earth is that? What archaeological context for the deposition of the hoard was retrieved here? Even if you come back next year to dig a wider area, how will it be relatable to what was done in this jamjar-sized fossicking? British archaeology needs to sort this out. 

Egypt arrests four for robbery of pharaoh’s 3,000-year-old bracelet

'Egypt arrests four for robbery of pharaoh’s 3,000-year-old bracelet' AP 19/09/2025
Four individuals, including a museum restoration employee and accomplices, have been arrested in Egypt in connection with the theft of a 3,000-year-old ancient gold bracelet from a safe in the restoration lab of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The bracelet was stolen on 9th September 2025, sold through intermediaries, and then melted down by a gold workshop owner into new jewellery. The incident has sparked public outrage and calls for improved museum security, especially with major exhibitions planned. It was stolen by a restoration specialist working at the museum./ The woman contacted a silver jeweller she knew, who sold the bracelet to a gold jeweller for $3,735 (£2,750). He then sold it for $4,025 to a gold foundry worker, who had melted it down with other jewellery to be reshaped into other gold jewelry. Presumably the two shop owners and the thief were among those arrested. The four individuals confessed to their crimes after being arrested and the money was seized. The disappearance of the braxcelet was detected in recent days as museum staff were preparing to ship dozens of artefacts to Rome for an exhibition.

Anger in Egypt after Pharaoh's gold bracelet stolen from a Cairo museum is melted down

Anger in Egypt after Pharaoh's gold bracelet stolen from a Cairo museum is melted down AP 22 Sep 2025

"Egyptians reacted with outrage this week after officials said that a 3,000-year-old bracelet that had belonged to an ancient pharaoh was stolen from Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum and then melted down for gold. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said in televised comments late Saturday that the bracelet was stolen on Sept. 9 while officials at the museum were preparing artifacts for an exhibit in Italy. He blamed "laxity" in implementing procedures at the facility and said that prosecutors were still investigating. The bracelet, containing a lapis lazuli bead, belonged to Pharaoh Amenemope, who reigned about 3,000 years ago. Authorities said it was taken from a restoration lab at the museum and then funneled through a chain of dealers before being melted down. The minister said the lab didn't have security cameras".

The theft and destruction of Pharaoh Amenemope’s 3,000-year-old gold bracelet is both tragic and infuriating. This isn't just a loss of material value — it's the erasure of a piece of Egypt’s irreplaceable cultural heritage. Egyptians — and indeed, anyone who values world heritage — have every right to be outraged. The values of artifacts like this go far beyond their physical components. Melting it down for gold is not just theft; it’s cultural vandalism. Cultural heritage belongs to generations — past, present, and future. Once destroyed, it's gone forever.

That a relic of such historical importance could be stolen from the heart of the Egyptian Museum speaks volumes about the lapses in security and oversight within institutions that are meant to safeguard history.

This must be a turning point. The incident should prompt immediate and comprehensive reforms to Egypt’s museum security protocols. It’s unacceptable that a restoration lab housing priceless antiquities lacked basic surveillance equipment. Accountability must go beyond vague mentions of "laxity." Clear consequences and real structural changes are needed to prevent future losses.

UK Gold hoard found whilst weeding the garden

Jordan Farrell, "RICH FIND. Couple find £230k of English treasure while weeding their garden" the Sun 25 Sep 2025 

A Hampshire couple made a remarkable discovery in clumps of clay soil while weeding their back garden in 2020, a hoard of seventy gold Tudor coins. The earliest of these coins dates from the reign of King Henry VI in the 1420s, while many others originate from the 1530s, during the rule of Henry VIII. The discovery was made in Milford-on-Sea, not far from the historic Christchurch Priory, and experts speculate that the hoard may have been buried for safekeeping by a wealthy church cleric at the time of Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. The discovery is an interesting reminder how finding of archaeological traces of the past goes on, regardless of circumstances. It is notable that these finders found it weeding their own garden in 2020 when the first Covid lockdown was in force banning metal detecting on external properties.

The couple, who have chosen to remain anonymous to avoid attracting treasure hunters to their quiet suburban street, reported their find to the authorities in 2020. Although the coins were initially declared treasure, they were later disclaimed and returned to the couple after no museums or institutions were able to afford to acquire them during the Covid pandemic. Now, the hoard is set to be auctioned in Zurich, Switzerland, this November, where it is expected to fetch around £230,000.

 

Bloke Caught Out in Dishonest Reporting of Finds, including Veterans' Rally Haul

          Jason Massey's Detecting for Veterans         

I think this happens a lot in the UK, just the arkies really do not bother in checking what the tekkie says about where a find came from - just accepting it in good faith. So the data hygiene of their records (like the PAS database) is very suspect. After a number of other cases, we have this example of lack of due diligence.  A 54-year-old British metal detectorist has pleaded guilty to four fraud charges relating to artefacts submitted to the county Finds Officer. Price pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday (Grantham man admits fraud at Lincoln Crown Court over “historical” artefacts he submitted to Lincolnshire County Council - including now (in)famous Leasingham horse brooch Lincs Online Reporter, 11 September 2025). 

According to the BBC ('Metal detectorist admits fraud over historic finds', BBC 11 September 2025)

A man has admitted four charges of fraud after he claimed to have found historic artefacts while metal detecting. Jason Price, 54, of Purcell Close, Grantham, was summoned to court following a police investigation into items that were submitted to the Finds Officer at Lincolnshire County Council between September 2019 and August 2023. 
The items included a brooch, Roman coins and figurines, which Price claimed to have found while metal detecting in the Roxholm and Long Bennington areas.

The distances involved are between 12 and 17 km.  According to the BBC: 'the BBC (11 September 2025), 

The Finds Officer found something suspicious about the sudden rash of “artifacts,” and so contacted local authorities. Following an investigation, it was determined that the artifacts were not actually found by Price. It’s unclear how he came into possession of the artifacts. Price, a native of Purcell Close, in Grantham, was then summoned to Lincoln Crown Court on Sept. 11. There, he was charged with four counts of fraud; Price pleaded guilty to each.

A sentence and “trial of facts” has been set for Nov. 7, 2024.

Interestingly, the contested items included the high-profile “Leasingham Horse” brooch claimed to have been found on a "Detecting for Veterans" rally - but now apparently not (see ''Detecting for Veterans' Leasingham Rally Find Acquired by Museum' PACHI May 13 2023). The PAS database record for this find (which readers may recall I suggest was 'seeded' somehow [see here too] was pretty extensive (all that work for nothing, eh Lisa? Should have verified the provenance FIRST - what a waste of public money)

Unavailable record: LIN-09AF6A
Object type: BROOCH
Broad period: ROMAN
Institution responsible: LIN
Workflow stage: Quarantine Find in quarantine
Relevant FLOs
Lisa Brundle
Created: 5 years ago
Last updated: About one year ago
This record is currently unavailable to view for your access levels. Please contact the relevant FLO to gain access.

So this have been going on undetected (pun not intended) since 2019, and only now are British archaeologists reconsidering those records. Time, maybe to review those "data" gathering procedures. 

New York court issues arrest warrant for collector of looted Anatolian statue

Caveat emptor, buy with caution and responsibility ('New York court issues arrest warrant for collector of looted Anatolian statue', Türkiye News Hürriyet Daily News September 13 2025):

A 74-year-old American collector is facing legal trouble in New York after prosecutors accused him of knowingly purchasing an ancient statue looted from Türkiye. According to a report by The New York Times, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has issued an arrest warrant for Aaron Mendelsohn, who in 2007 bought a 2,000-year-old Roman emperor statue originally stolen from the ancient city of Bubon in the western province of Burdur. Investigators say the statue, one of about ten illegally excavated from Bubon in the 1960s, travelled first to the United Kingdom before reaching the United States. Despite being aware of its illicit origins, Mendelsohn acquired the piece from a gallery and continued to display it. Court filings revealed that he even sought advice from a former museum curator on how to avoid legal consequences, who reportedly suggested showing the piece only to private guests. The case gained momentum following the establishment of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in 2017. Working in close cooperation with Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Ministry, prosecutors gathered electronic correspondence and documentation that linked Mendelsohn directly to the illegal acquisition. The evidence, authorities said, made clear that the collector had full knowledge of the statue’s stolen provenance.

"Small Number of People in Hugely Respectful Community of Artefact Hunters"

Well, it's called "nighthawking innit?" Dr Jonathan Berry, Senior Inspector of Ancient Monuments and archaeology, is interviewed in a feature on heritage crime in Wales in BBC News online:  Will Fyfe ' Night-time treasure thieves threatening a nation's heritage' BBC News 17 August 2025

As darkness falls in one corner of Wales, police officers begin their hunt for treasure thieves - a crime that would sound like fantasy if it wasn't for the evidence. In Gwent Police's patch, the hills are littered with ancient forts and Roman remains - and have become a regular target for those hoping to unearth rare artefacts for the black market. Often, investigators are left with nothing but a hole in the ground - with little idea of what has been stolen or its value - though some looted treasures have been worth millions. Nighthawking, as it is nicknamed, is now seen as a genuine threat to the nation's heritage.

PC Dan Counsell had never heard of the term nighthawking before he took a call in September 2019. He was told locals of an ancient village near Chepstow had awoken to find more than 50 holes mysteriously dug among the gravestones of their churchyard. Residents were horrified and newspaper headlines spoke of "grave robbers." PC Counsell understood the upset - many of his own family members, including grandparents, were buried there. In truth the robbers weren't interested in the dead, but the artefacts that may be buried beyond them, deep into the Earth. Before it became a Christian church about 700 years ago, there were Romans here. [...] After PC Counsell's first case in the graveyard, he began looking out for the phenomenon. Within two years his team had uncovered 23 suspected incidents in the force's patch - a 600 sq mile (1,550 sq km) corner of south-east Wales peppered with imposing castles, ancient hill forts and Roman ruins. Reports of people in fields at night and mysterious holes being discovered has all led PC Counsell's team to uncover cases of nighthawking. He said one of the most worrying things was that most targeted Scheduled Monuments

Not worried about the rest then... If knowledge thieves go out in daytime and pocket stuff without telling anyone, that's "OK....." yeah? That's what cultural resource management looks like these days in Brexited Britain. 

I can't help but think that if Wales has an area of 20,779 km² (8,023 sq mi), PC Counsell's patch is 1/13 of the whole. He alone has spotted 23 suspected incidents (that's ones where thieving idiots were seen, or neglected to fill their holes properly) so, extrapolating from that this might be the equivalent of a minimum 23 x 13 = 299 cases. That's a minimum of 150 a year. But the text says:

Cadw, the authority charged with protecting Wales' 4,000-plus protected ancient sites, said it saw 10 to 20 nighthawking incidents each year, but that the nature of it meant was very likely underreported.

Indeed. By how much? Once upon a time in the UK they did a half-hearted "nighthawking report" (2008). I produced arguments at the time that this was severely underestimating the problem - which the report facilely tried to make out had been "solved" by having the PAS. If there have been a minimum of 150 nighthawking episode that could have been found in each of those 17 years since the report was treated as the definitive answer... that means at least 2550 sites have been "nighthawked" under the noses of the self-satisfied arkies and their pals in PAS 

But the scale of the site-looting problem is pretty massive in Wales. If there are however just 60700 finds reported from all of Wales in the period from 1st Jan 2008 to today (an average of 3570 per year - this is a higher figure than was being shown by the PAS database at the time of the 2019 estimate - I'm not clear why). That does not tally well with the figures from even six years ago that everybody ignored then:

   The Scale of the Artefact Hunting Recording Crisis in Wales, PACHI Thursday, 10 January 2019.

The estimate there is that "the total should be therefore somewhere around 40,660 objects". It seems that, however many of the evidence-trashing blighters there are (because the size of the UK metal detecting community has gone up since the 2019 estimate), VERY FEW OF THEM ARE RESPONSIBLY REPORTING/RECORDING THEIR FINDS. The rest are just taking, who knows whether with or without the landowner's knowledge and permission? Basically the only thing we know is they were not caught.

So Plonky Plod the policeman has not the FAINTEST justification for saying the usual British crap-fluff:

Archaeologists and police point out this is a small number of people in an otherwise hugely respectful community of metal detectorists.

Except for the ones that aren't eh? Why do we need this misleading bollocks from British archaeologists? How much actual thinking and research lies behind such hopelessly glib and unnuanced statements misleading the public? [that is a rhetorical question].

 

US Antiquities Dealer Sentenced for Smuggling Hundreds of Egyptian Antiquities

Ashraf Omar Eldarir, 52, a Brooklyn resident and naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Egypt, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for smuggling hundreds of ancient Egyptian artefacts into the United States. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner in Brooklyn federal court following Eldarir’s guilty plea in February 2025 to four counts of smuggling.

 According to court filings, Eldarir trafficked artefacts on at least four occasions between April 2019 and January 2020, using falsified provenance documents to sell the items through U.S.-based auction houses.  Eldarir fabricated provenance records to disguise the illicit origins of the looted antiquities. The case came to light on January 22, 2020, when Eldarir arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport from Egypt. He falsely declared that the goods he was carrying were worth only $300. A search of his three checked suitcases revealed 590 artifacts wrapped in bubble wrap and foam, many still covered in loose sand and dirt. Among the objects were gold amulets from a funerary set and wooden tomb model figures with linen garments dating to around 1900 BCE. Officers also discovered a kit containing materials used to forge documentation for the items. 

 Subsequent investigation led to the recovery of additional smuggled artefacts, bringing the total seized to more than 600. All have since been forfeited, and U.S. officials stated that they intend to repatriate them to Egypt. The usual performative statements are included in media reports of the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys William P. Campos and Nomi Berenson led the prosecution, with support from Paralegal Specialist Amara Padilla. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Mantell. Eldarir will serve his prison sentence and forfeit all seized antiquities, which are expected to be returned to Egypt.