Facebook Thread about the French looter.

 

Candid reactions of the UK artefact hunting community on a metal detecting Facebook page near you about the story of French artefact hunter Patrice T. and his hoard find declared in Belgium. Eye-opening:

Stephen Pitt [...] what a haul here

Phill Dowdon Poor bloke

Peter Harry Birkett How many years and hours sweating miles walked for this well saved

Colin Ford I can't see a problem, What's he done wrong?

Eoin Siosal Is the issue he found it in france and not belgium as claimed?

Nicholas Ryan If he hadn’t off dug them no one would no they were there not like he was trying to sell them probably just a hoarder 

Justin Critchlow hoarding hoards

Michael Gerstmann  Prob pillaged a not very well protected site, great finds an absolute pleasure to see so much history but the guy has done wrong so cant defend that.

Keith Pay (hoard hunter) I knew a chap a few years back who stole a hoard he did not have a conscience about it at all 

Darryn Maroney It really sucks when the system doesn't allow a civi the opportunity to find treasures and keeps that practice for themselves. Just another sad story of a man been shafted up the arse by bullshit laws so rich wankers can benefit!

The Britexiter mentality here cannot grasp that other countries have other laws and place higher standards on artefact hunters' behaviour than Bri'in's anyfink goes policies (I use the term loosely). 

Comments like "what a haul" and "poor bloke" are the predictable result of not really understanding what "responsible detecting" is other than being nice-sounding polysyllabic words. The use of the phrase "this well-saved" as a noun is a startling mental shortcut. In addition, Birkett's "years and hours (sic) sweating miles walked" is a common justification, artefact hunters have "worked for" their finds (except when they claim that artefact hunting is recreational relaxation to get round lockdown regulations).  Colin Ford on reading the report (though not necessarily thinking about what he read) can't see a problem, and does not know what his French counterpart did wrong. He should read it again, and then apply brain (gently, don't overdo it). Eoin Siosal is equally quick off the mark. For Nicholas Ryan digging up archaeological artefacts illegally as reported here would not be a problem, but only if the finder tried to sell them. After all, he argues, "if the finder had not dug them up, no one would know that they had been there". Mr Ryan seems to miss that nobody knew about these 27000 objects until the police came knocking at his door after being alerted by the Belgians. Secondly what do we "know" about the sites these 27000 items were ripped from now we know that Mr T. had them in his collection?  (Mr Ryan, the answer is: nothing). Michael Gerstmann seems to think like Peter Tompa over in Trump's  USA, the heritage deserves to be looted away if the police don't post a 24/7 guard on every archaeological site in France that may contain collectable items. And in England and wales too, Mr Gerstmann? Keith Pay  knew a man who stole a hoard, he did not say if he reported that crime, instead of boasting about his contacts with criminals.  Darryn Maroney - no words, really.

Vignette: Bowl of stupid for Brexit