Until now many important metal detecting finds have gone unrecorded as those lucky enough to unearth such treasures have often not declared them for fear they will be taken away from them. The worrying result of this was that a huge amount of information was lost as objects fundamental to recording the history of the local area remained unavailable for academic use.
Metal detectorists have recovered a huge amount of new material for archaeological research, and metal detectors have been responsible for assisting some major advances in archaeological knowledge. Progress would be even greater if more finds were reported, and the information derived from them was made more readily available.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (often called PAS) is an entirely voluntary scheme for recording archaeological objects found by metal detectorists as well as members of the public on a national database. The Scheme was set up to promote the recording of detector and chance finds and to broaden public awareness of the importance of such objects for understanding our past.
(The scheme covers the whole of England and Wales – Scotland has different heritage/treasure laws and in Northern Ireland a licence is now required even to search for archaeological objects.)
The aims of the scheme include strengthening the links between metal detector users and archaeologists and also to encourage all those who find archaeological objects to make them available for recording.
YOUR FINDS WILL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU
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The heart of the Scheme is its network of Finds Liaison Officers, who have a role in publishing the Scheme, recording reported finds, giving advice on finds recording, conservation and the Treasure Act, giving talks and lectures and encouraging liaison between members of the public, metal detector users, archaeologists and museums. They may also wish to photograph or draw your finds. They would like to know about everything that you have found – not just metal objects – however trivial the finds might seem. |
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They record all objects made before about 1650 and may be selective in recording finds of later objects. It is often best to let the Finds Liaison Officer see all your finds, especially if you are unsure what they are: for example, a nondescript lump of copper-alloy may turn out to be a fragment of an archaeologically important Bronze Age ingot. They would like to record details of the objects that you have found, including a description, weight and measurements. They would also hope to record where and how they were found, including how the land is used; for example a ploughed field or in a garden. |
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Normally the Finds Liaison Officers prefer to borrow the finds for a time, so they can research and record them properly. You will be issued with a receipt whilst they are in their care. Finders contributing to the Scheme will be fully acknowledged. Although the scheme is entirely voluntary, you must report finds which are Treasure, or which you believe may be Treasure. If your find counts as Treasure under the Treasure Act (1996) a museum will have the option to acquire it. |
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