Abstract
This paper examines some of the arguments used by archaeologists in favour of collaborating useful for archaeological research and is a form of public engagement with archaeology. It takes as a case study records of 48 600 medieval artefacts removed from archaeological contexts by artefact hunters and recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme in England and Wales. The past and potential uses of these records as an archaeological source are objectively reviewed, together with an assessment of the degree to which they provide mitigation of the damage caused to the otherwise unthreatened archaeological record. It is concluded that, although information can be obtained by studying records of findspots of addressed artefacts such as coins, in general the claims made in support of professional archaeological collaboration with this kind of activity prove to be false.
Highlights
This paper examines some of the arguments used by archaeologists in favour of collaborating with artefact hunters and collectors who claim that these activities produce information that is useful for archaeological research and is a form of public engagement with archaeology
There it is seen as a meaningful social practice, a means allowing the public to engage with the past, a form of “archaeology for all” (Hart, Chilton, 2014; Dobat et al, 2020)
More artefacts and pseudo-artefacts appear in the “collectables” section, here for example were a large number of Native American lithic items (19 520)
Summary
In the countries with a liberal approach, many heritage professionals support the rights of collectors of portable antiquities. The archaeological supporters of private collection-driven exploitation of the archaeological record participate in the representation of collecting as a form of artefact-rescue In their manifestos we find passages that suggest that artefacts are susceptible to plough damage and artificial and natural corrosion processes: In the open and intensely cultivated landscapes of Europe, are the metal finds in the ploughsoil in danger of getting lost [...] detector finds [...] are currently threatened by increasing deterioration in open and cultivated landscapes, their extraction from the ploughsoil might be the best option for the find to be recorded, preserved, and made accessible. The case study will cover records referring to the artefactual evidence of the tenth century and High Middle Ages in England and Wales (900–1300) as recorded by the PAS
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
