Some Proposals for the Portable Antiquities Scheme and Independent Archaeology

The has been little contact between Portable Antiquities officers and local archaeological societies. The Liaison Officers have on the whole been too busy collaborating with metal detectorists and Metal Detecting Clubs to find time to contact the local archaeological societies.

Thus when (as happens not infrequently) the site of a metal-detecting find needs to be explored further, the Liaison Officers invariably call in professional archaeologists to do this. Yet the work could often be done - at no cost - by the local archaeological society.

Furthermore, some at least of the metal detectorists could be persuaded to become conventional archaeologists if only they could be put in touch with local archaeological societies.

As a first draft, we would offer the following proposals

Which Societies are interested?

1. A list of active local archaeological societies should be compiled in each area, together with their interests and capabilities. (We are proposing that archaeological officers should hold this). These should note essentially the area that each society covers, and for which it considers itself to be a 'stakeholder'. The Liaison officers should extend these lists to include the particular interest and expertise of the society and it members in various classes of objects. This could be extended to include any other interested individuals, including 'collectors' who are knowledgeable in their own fields.

Identification of Objects

2. The Liaison Officers should use the expertise of the local societies and collectors to assist in the identification of objects. As far as possible the societies should be encouraged to become the recognised 'experts' in their fields, so that relevant objects will always be referred to them for identification. Where fairs and other identification sessions are held, the local societies should be invited to participate as experts, on the same footing as local museums and other professional archaeologists.

Visiting

3. Where the sites from which objects were recovered can be identified, the local societies should be given the opportunity to visit such sites, field walk them, prospect them with the new Resistivity meter that is being manufactured for the CIA, and where feasible, carry out trial excavations.

Treasure Trove

4. Treasure-Trove. Where objects of Treasure Trove are reported, the local stakeholders' (i.e. the local society) should he notified at the same time as the British Museum and other authorities. If excavations are deemed necessary or indeed possible in the vicinity of the find, the local society should normally he invited to undertake this work. Where the site is of such importance that a professional team needs to be brought in, they should be encouraged to liaise with the local society.

Publicity should where possible be channelled through the local society.
The British Museum experts should certainly be expected to give a lecture to the local society on the discovery.

In conclusion

5. We believe that such a scheme could be of mutual benefit to both sides. For the local society it would provide work to he done, sites to be visited and explored, and it would help build up the confidence which at present is so sorely lacking.

For the Portable Antiquities Scheme it would provide local support and prevent the build-up of an 'us and them' mentality and help overcome the democratic deficiency sometimes perceived as a drawback of the scheme.

For archaeology generally it would help build up the grassroots support for archaeology which is at present in danger of withering away.

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