tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post8311848417417477023..comments2024-03-27T04:46:33.198-07:00Comments on Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues: Denkmalscheiße in EnglandPaul Barfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-6894125034151818892012-01-08T12:08:46.766-08:002012-01-08T12:08:46.766-08:00Right, I finally got around to posting up a reply,...Right, I finally got around to posting up a reply, in several parts, it took me three days to draft it and put all the bits together... <br /><br />http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2012/01/professor-karl-pas-and-austrian_5706.htmlPaul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-20363593882101698272011-12-09T13:05:17.311-08:002011-12-09T13:05:17.311-08:00Ray, thanks for your comment and "correction&...Ray, thanks for your comment and "correction". I stand however by what I originally wrote. It is exactly the same situation in Poland and I am afraid I do not see the "problem" you have with it. For the reasons I explained under the other post ("how many detectorists...?") I do not want to post up your comment until I have time to explain in more detail where I feel there is room for debate and disagreement over what you write, otherwise you are playing right into the hands of the collectors. I'll probably get around to it on Monday.Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-3737684700265058702011-12-09T06:44:46.748-08:002011-12-09T06:44:46.748-08:00Dear Paul,
I am sorry to having to correct you on...Dear Paul,<br /><br />I am sorry to having to correct you on at least one point in this message (I should probably on many others, but I am afraid I currently don't have the time for it - though if you like, I'd write a piece for your blog that discusses the situation in Austria in much greater detail, and perhaps aims to counter some of your other mistakes in this piece), but since it is a serious factual mistake, it needs immediate correction:<br /><br />You say that metal detecting in Austria is not illegal since it can be done with a permit. What you sadly missed (by not reading my article and also the BA piece not closely enough) is that such licenses can ONLY be issued to professional archaeologists trained at least to university degree level in an archaeological discipline. <br /><br />This incidentally not just excludes all members the general public, but also professional archaeologists with 25+ years of excavation experience and an international reputation of excellence where their archaeological work, particularly fieldwork, is concerned, who simply never bothered to complete their degree. These also cannot legally use a metal detector in Austria to search for archaeological finds, or get any kind of license to run a dig. <br /><br />In fact, it is even debateable whether someone with a British BA in field archaeology (let alone someone with a vocational qualification in archaeology like NVQs) would get an excavation license in Austria, since at the moment, the only two degrees certainly recognised in Austria as 'relevant' for getting a license are Prehistory and Classical Archaeology.<br /><br />So we're not talking just about 'nighthawks' here, we're talking about everyone but c. 500 people in Austria who cannot legally search for archaeology.<br /><br />At any rate, you are right in one point: searching archaeology without a license is illegal in Austria. The question is: is it sensible to make it illegal to do so.<br /><br />To give some further context on this, and to show how silly it is, in Austria, it is also illegal to search for archaeological finds without a metal detector, as long as the one searching does not have an archaeology degree AND a special license for the particular search. That in fact means that I - who does have a degree in archaeology - am effectively breaking the law whenever I go on a walk in the Austrian countryside, since I simply cannot help myself but to look to the ground and while doing so also look for archaeological finds whenever walking across fields. But since I normally don't get myself a license from the National Heritage Agency for a christmas holiday walk with my parents, in-laws or wife, you can probably report me to the Austrian authorities for breaking the heritage law in the week after next, where I'll presumably at least once will be engaging in this illicit activity.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />RAYRaimund Karlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15884340512561416789noreply@blogger.com