"Detecting Digs" Disgust. Archaeologists Getting Angry at Artefact Hunters, they Scarper

Celtic bronze mirror sold
in 2011 at Christies for
USD 170,500; collecting
 history, " Private Collection,
 The Netherlands, 1960s".

There's a document gone from Twitter:   https://twitter.com/DetectingDigsUK/status/1211759084673937408?s=19 Anyone got a screenshot?

But here's the reaction: Dr Rachel Pope is on ASOS@preshitorian 12:02 PM · 1 sty 2020

Disingenuous bollocks. Man enough to rip apart an Iron Age woman’s grave? Then be man enough to deal with the bloody consequences.

Dr Rachel Pope is on ASOS @preshitorian ·6 g.

Latest metal detectorist who thinks it’s fine to rip apart the past.

Peter Twinn @PeteTwinn · 4 g. 1 sty 2020

Nothing short of grave robbing, should have stopped as soon as he realised there were more than a couple of pieces being dug... totally trashed the context. Another sad day.

Paul Blinkhorn @R1100GSBlueNose · 1 sty 2020

I'm sick of saying this but - 20 years of the PAS and still shit like this goes down. When will they [PAS] finally admit that saying "pretty please" isn't working and do something? Licencing would mean MDers HAVE to adhere to a code of practice, and make it far easier to catch the cowboys

Anne Teather @pre_historic · 6 g.

If that mirror and all its bits were the first thing he came across then I'm a monkey's uncle

Dr Rachel Pope is on ASOS @preshitorian · 6 g.

Exactly. And the defence of his actions by metal detecting groups is extremely telling.

Marcus McJanus @MarcusVanHalen 4 g.

Straight through a grave.

adam slater @SlaterAdam ·7 g. 

I know it will make me angry too but can you tell me who ripped apart what?

Archaeosoup Towers @Archaeos0up · 5 g.

Where's the original post/ article? Sorry if I'm being blind!

Nicola King @icemaiden1964 · 5 g. 

https://twitter.com/DetectingDigsUK/status/1211759084673937408?s=19

This Tweet is Not Available

So, just after two in the afternoon "Detecting Digs" ( Metal Detecting Digs (@DetectingDigs) Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Joined April 2011.) realised they'd let the archaeologists see what they had been up to, and convinced of their rights to do what they do and unwilling to listen to any more comment from their "partners", they simply deleted the post... sweeping the problem under the carpet. In fact this person deleted all the posts in their Twitter account. And that is how it should be, collection-driven exploitation of the archaeological record should be a clandestine act, and not something to boast about and expect heritage professionals to condone or praise. Paul Blinkhorn is right, and let's hope more British archaeologists make the effort to see what artefact hunters are up to in 2020 and making an assessment.