As we start to hear whispers about a potential metal detecting rally near Peterborough in September it may be helpful for all involved to think through their ethical and legal obligations.
Done responsibly, metal detecting can be a useful tool to guide and support archaeological investigation. Done irresponsibly it can destroy opportunities for us to understand our past and can amount to theft.
Even when finds are documented they are often removed from contexts which could tell us much more than the objects alone.
There’s an article on this website which explains more of the do’s and the don’ts:
We urge anyone planning to go metal detecting to strictly abide by the Code of Practice for responsible Metal Detecting. It should be an enjoyable well planned experience, with all involved thoroughly informed.
We urge landowners and farmers to ensure that any metal detecting on their land is undertaken in accordance with these best practice guidelines and that it is consistent with their environmental land management and countryside stewardship commitments.
We urge the public to report to the police any unauthorised metal detecting being undertaken on scheduled sites – of which there are many in the Peterborough area.
[It is highly unlikely that any metal detecting will be authorised on a scheduled site unless it is part of a structured archaeological investigation undertaken by a professional organisation.]
The consequences of failing to respect the law can be serious and humiliating.
A group of four Norfolk detectorists were convicted in 2023 for digging at the site of the Roman town of Combretovium (near Needham Market). They each received a 16-week jail sentence, ordered to pay compensation and had their finds and equipment confiscated.
Two Welsh detectorists were jailed in 2019 for failing to declare treasure dating back 1,100 years to the reign of King Alfred the Great and instead selling a large number of items for significant gain. In 2024 one of the offenders received a further 5 year sentence for failing to repay monies owed.
In 2023, detectorists from Lancashire and County Durham were jailed for over 5 years after being convicted of conspiring to sell 44 Anglo Saxon coins.
The National Council of Metal Detecting Guide:
