A stunning Iron Age Torc found by Mr M Richardson near Newark in 2005 and reported through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Photo Richard Moss © Culture24
The organisation that oversees the reporting of archaeological finds by members of the public in England and Wales, the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), has moved to allay fears following media reports highlighting the rise of illegal metal detecting or ‘nighthawking’.
Several newspapers have cited the illegal removal of antiquities from archaeological sites as a major epidemic this week, following the publication of figures by English Heritage on Monday (February 16) revealing the extent of the problem.
“Our view is that it’s a serious issue, but what really didn’t come out in the publicity is the fact that the report actually shows that nighthawking has declined on two counts compared with an earlier survey in 1995,” said PAS Head Roger Bland, emphasising the reduction in the practice since the initial report.
“Although there is still a significant problem down the eastern side of England from Yorkshire through Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, we do think that there has been some notable improvement, and we think some of this can be attributed to the work of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.”
Thousands of public finds, including hundreds unearthed by metal detectorists, are logged and recorded by the PAS each year.
This Bronze Age comb was one of the star finds of 2006. © British Museum
The English Heritage report, which was supported by a range of counterparts including the PAS, found that more than a third of sites attacked by illegal metal detectorists between 1995 and 2008 are Scheduled Ancient Monuments, while a further 152 sites are known to have been raided.
However, it also revealed a marked improvement over the past ten years – 188 scheduled monuments were reported as being damaged in 1995, compared to 70 last year, with archaeological units reporting a drop in raids of almost half, from 74% to 28%.
“I think there is still a problem, but the report shows it is less of a problem than it used to be,” added Bland. “The number of scheduled monuments that have been attacked and the number of archaeological units that have been reported where excavations have been attacked by nighthawking has declined, and we’re keen to get that message across.
“Of course, as the report states it is still a big problem in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and East Anglia, but in a lot of areas of the country it’s hardly known about.”
Bland believes an effective way to address the problem is to tighten up on the sale of antiquities through internet auction sites, cutting off both supply and demand.
“The thing we’re keen to push is the need to tighten up on the sale of antiquities through internet auction sites like eBay,” he said. “If you look at the report one of the key recommendations is to implement changes recently introduced in Europe to increase the obligation on sellers of antiquities to provide provenance and establish legal title.”
Metal detectorist Cliff Bradshaw came upon a gold cup from the Bronze Age in 2001 and reported it through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Courtesy English Heritage
Since October 2006 the PAS has been monitoring sales of antiquities on the auction website to ensure that sellers have the right to trade them. However, last summer eBay reached agreements with Germany, Switzerland and Austria to only sell antiquities from those countries which were accompanied by documentation to show they were being auctioned legally.
“That is a much more effective agreement than the one we have had since 2006, which allows us to look for potential treasure finds,” observed Mr Bland.
One of the key finds of the English Heritage report was a “vicious circle of under-reporting” surrounding the removal of antiquities as a crime, in turn creating a false picture of the seriousness of the situation.
The survey found that only 14% of landowners affected by nighthawking have contacted the police, largely preferring to tackle the culprits themselves or impose a complete ban on metal detecting on their land.
The survey also calls for the implementation of a central database of reported nighthawking incidents and a tightening of the Treasure Act, requiring treasure finds to be reported by all individuals who come into contact with them.
Full details of the survey including its recommendations are downloadable at http://www.helm.org.uk/nighthawking
The PAS is a voluntary scheme that allows members of the public to record archaeological objects found in England and Wales by reporting them to a local Finds Liaison Officer (FLO). The scheme benefits both the finder, who can find out more about their find with the expertise of the FLO, and the national archaeological record. The scheme is managed by the British Museum on behalf of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Find out more at www.finds.org.uk.
