tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post6464567707219118605..comments2024-03-27T04:46:33.198-07:00Comments on Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues: Everybody gets the Depth Advantage: At UK Taxpayer's Cost...Paul Barfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-3837495537417564742010-12-07T18:10:23.101-08:002010-12-07T18:10:23.101-08:00"how do you explain to someone [...] that the...<i>"how do you explain to someone [...] that the best way of "saving" our history and heritage is to leave it alone..."</i> I have a bold and novel idea. What we need to do is set up a multi-million pound scheme employing fifty archaeologists to do outreach to these people in England and Wales and instil the ideals of best conservation practice in them by explaining these things to them. You know, going to where they gather and explaining to these people "passionately interested in history" the damage artefact collecting is doing to the archaeological record. And let it run for thirteen years or so. <br /><br />The people who work in PAS tell me that British metal detectorists are to a man "decent blokes" and "not thickoes". So let them show that this is true and not some idealistic fluffy bunny claptrap, and that real and costly outreach can attain real results in this area, rather than just partially documenting the scale of the ongoing depredation.Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-77018131423318418582010-12-07T15:06:53.307-08:002010-12-07T15:06:53.307-08:00Fortunately, the government can't make metal d...Fortunately, the government can't make metal detectors VAT free, because, under EU law, something the groups of goods and services that are Zero Rated can't be extended - a good job because it's the sort of scheme you can imagine people championing.<br /><br />The problem is 'though, how do you explain to someone who is probably convinced that they're doing what's best, that the best way of "saving" our history and heritage is to leave it alone - or at the very least to dig a site properly rather than sinking a pit where a machine goes beep?<br /><br />GarethAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-13441291306126807692010-12-07T01:06:19.156-08:002010-12-07T01:06:19.156-08:00"What makes you think the PAS is at all inter..."What makes you think the PAS is at all interested in what you or I or anyone else thinks?"<br />........................<br /><br />Well they should be.<br /><br />If PAS and the Treasure Act have reduced information-loss by 30% (as if!) but publicity generated by them has expanded the activity by just 10% then PAS and the Treasure Act have resulted in an increased information-loss and we’d have been better off without them.<br /> <br />So the truth is, avoiding at ALL costs (like the whole of the PAS budget) ANY expansion in metal detecting and preferably a contraction of it was always the only logical and cost effective way to reduce information loss. <br /><br />But what strength has mere logic compared with a brochures full of shiny things shoved under the noses of the public and the Culture Minister?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-68302283585513802692010-12-06T14:01:37.227-08:002010-12-06T14:01:37.227-08:00What makes you think the PAS is at all interested ...What makes you think the PAS is at all interested in what you or I or anyone else thinks? <br /><br />When have they stooped to telling it like it is and asking the public what they think, rather than telling them what to think?<br /><br />So much for the much-vaunted policies of transparency and public engagement in the CONSERVATION process and policy making.Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-78813291843304451952010-12-06T13:10:16.539-08:002010-12-06T13:10:16.539-08:00This is unbelieveable. I totally agree that it is...This is unbelieveable. I totally agree that it is time for PAS to do SOMETHING, just not sure how to go about making sure that they doPam Braddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12435301109496604166noreply@blogger.com