Helping the Licensed Grave - Robbers (Archaeologists) FID Winter bulletin no 97

[PHIL YNYSBOETH]

Hi All

Ive just read a Piece in The Federation of Independent Detectorists Winter Bulletin Page 10 if you,ve got a copy.

Its really got me thinking are we to soft on the Archaeologists ? Considering we pay there wages.

Back last summer i went to an Army supplus store in Pontypidd to buy a pair of Dutch army shovels (as you do lol)
The Kid working there asked me if i wanted them for Hunting I said no Metal Detecting....He went crazy calling me a grave robber and saying Detecting should be band.

It turned out he was a 2nd year Archaeology Student and had just watched that Time team code name Ainbrook program with the 2 Detectorists that had found 1,000s of Viking  artifacts all from one field and sold them on ebay and only stopped and called the Museum when they uncovered Human remains.

If you think about it there not many Detectorist go around digging up our ancesters label them stick them in warehouses.for anyone with an interest to see
 
I need to ask Mr Colin Hanson FID for permission to reprint this letter on the forum

If i cant get permission and your not a FID member so wont be getting a winter copy
I.ll be happy to scan the artical and send it to you

Regards
Phil Jones


 

[Neil]

Thats interesting Phil! That programme did a Hell of a lot of damage.

I even had mates asking me if what I did was illegal and equally other mates wanting to know how much I make by doing it?  Nothing was the answer, as I have never sold a single item, although I have had offers on two occasions! If people want to sell or need to sell stuff then fair enough.

Not all archaeologists view us as grave robbers, there are a few exceptions, but on the whole there doesn't appear to be many. I would be interested to read Mr Hansons article.

cheers
Neil

[altinkum]

did you tell him to shove the shovels where the sun dont shine

[PHIL YNYSBOETH]

 Hi Both

Mr Colin Hanson is the FID sec the post was send by a n other But not wanting to be kicked out of FID id better get permission before posting 

I would have just walked out after a lot of 4 letter words but the owner said i could have the 2 for the price of 1 lol

Pocket before Principle Is my motto lol

[PHIL YNYSBOETH]

Hi all

 Reproduced by kind permission from Mr Colin Hanson FID

HELPING THE LICENSED GRAVE-ROBBERS

When i found my 1st hammed coin i didnt even know what an hammered coin was,it turned out to be an Elizabeth 1st penny.As i got more interested in the hobby,i started buying various detecting mags and it got me thinking this hobby harms nobody and is enjoyable and good fun,you start reading stories in the mags from Archaeologists who now we know as not Archaeologists But Licensed grave robbers paid by us the tax payer.
Stories of metal detectorists being scum,out to plunder and rob sites of there artefacts with only one thing in mind,to find goodies to sell.
Reading verious stories became very depressing and then along came the Time Team,two men in a trench,Meet the ancestors and god knows what else.
Out of ten people you ask on the street if you ask them what are theyre thoughts of digging up the bones of our Ancesters,putting them in a cardboard box,giving them a number and sticking them in a warehouse,nine out of ten and sometimes ten out of ten would think this is awful.

I think from a metal detectorists point of view its about time we stopped pussy footing around Archaeologists.They are trained often on the Dole whilst going on the courses,there are of course those who are not trained and are not qualified and are self taught,taking money from the heritage which comes from the tax payer.

There are too many Archaeology groups,I say to them put your own house in order before accusing others.Why dont archaeologists work at the weekends and do it like most of us do ,as a Hobby?

Metal Detectorists put money into the society from day they buy a metal detector Batteries food and pay for rallying ect. Archaeologists continuously Take
They are jealous,they have bad archaeologists amongst themselves who steal from their own sites the divers on the Mary rose is a classic example. according to some articles on pages 11 and 12 of the FID bulletin concerning the Andover Hampshire site, i would say thatsthe site must have been badly managed.On a daily basis you could detect that site and dig the finds and leave nothing for the night hawkers to take at night,then the following day when digging is taking place,detect it and remove those finds!
To say that metal detectorists come in at night ona regular basis is a load of b*** ***t

Its the archaeologists means of continuously blaming metal detectorists,its the only way they can make us look bad, where is the...innocent untill proven guilty? Its been mentioned that detectorists are comming in of a night time and leaving a lot of holes,the archaeologists should think themselves lucky that the night hawkers dont come in with JCB,s Hymax,s or dumper trucks and 4x4,s spilling diesel and contaminating the soil like archaeologists do .
The people they find or capture are guilty,but that migth be there own staff.
Of course there are people who go out at night time,but with all honesty if you spend 8 hours in the day detecting site you could find very little who in there right mind go,s out in the middle of the night in the freezing cold pitch black walking around ?
Our hobby does not endanger anyone at all,its not a dangerous hobby for anyone whats so ever.
I feel very strongly that archaeologists should not romove bones and remains or our ancestors.if its on a site where thereis going to be building and its necessary to move them,then they should be moved to the nearest field from the site It should be done with inderpendent persons overseeing it.
If there is no building development or road structure going on then things like Tumuli Barrows,Saxon graveyards ect.... should not be dug up by anyone they have been there for a thousand years or more.
Archaeology should be done as an hobby and money raised locally in the area of interest and not by local authority.
I agree that we should have Archaeologists to an extent but where does metal detecting come into archaeology?
What i would suggest to the Metal detecting world is tell everyone,your friends and family that your tax money is being wasted on archaeologists,geophysics ect.......I feel this strongly of the remains being removed or dug up that im hoping for an appointment with the Archbishop to try and start ceasing of this disgraceful robbery and im writing to the Heritage Secretary to tell her that i dont want my tax money paid to Archaeologists and to ask her to reduce there funding even further because of the credit crunch and other economic problems.
I have even considered writing to the Queen and asking her if she,d like her ancesters dug up to see what their remains look like and if she says no,then why do we not have the right to say no as well ?.

I HATE GRAVE ROBBERS

artical sent in by a very angry FID member

[PHIL YNYSBOETH]

I think this fella has got a beef with Archaeologists Im not really sure lol

I think some of the post is over the top But most its spot on ,,,,,, We have let the powers that be walk all over us the Crown estate is a prime example.
Are the Detectorists who paid for permits to detect on The Crown estate beaches going to get there money back now  the payment  has been crapped ? i think not !
I think the beach permits are going to be like the dog licences, no point in getting one

Fight the Power ! 

[hedgehog]

Wow that is very emotive, and it all makes sense in some ways. . I feel that the local history society was conned somewhat in the area that i live .They paid £25000 for an archaeological survey that lasted for 3 days, the result was totally inconclusive , 3 books were produced , info taken from the metal detecting finds that i had made , the only thing that sprung to mind was that bullsh*t baffles brains, it was money for the boys out of people who didn't know any better.

[PHIL YNYSBOETH]

Your right its not a good situation at all.

My passion is studying and searching for Romen remains in South East Wales and some of the protected sites are a joke no more than lumps in the ground I dont think a few little holes (Always fill my holes  ) could damage the sites that i visit more than ie Forrestry,Mineing,Farming and Botched Archaeological digs by the Victorians.

Im glad the NCMD have made some headway with the Crown estate but theres still work to do !
With the old 3inch rule why wasnt Kids arrested for making sand castles them castle moulds have got to be 12ins thats 12 inchs worth of sand to make one lol 
The only reason The crown estate  got involved with Detecting  because they think we are stealing large amounts of Gold and Silver off the beaches.
Im putting money into the community not stealling from it  I pay for parking i pay the tax on the fuel i use local shops ect ect What does your typical kid on the beach do ? and we was the criminals lol lol

[altinkum]

this is nothing wait until this country give's all it's law making power's to brussel's you'll be banned from detecting in your own back garden.