Abstract
The hobby of metal detecting has mostly been examined from the perspectives of archaeology and heritage administration. Although fulfilling archaeological needs, such an approach neglects the social analysis of this pastime. In 2019, we conducted a survey of metal detector enthusiasts and heritage professionals in Finland, the results of which are compared with those of a corresponding survey carried out in 2014. Within five years, metal detecting has become an established practice, and following the Finnish custom, registered associations for amateurs have emerged to organize the field. This longitudinal survey highlights its importance to civil society, with regard to the ways in which metal detecting develops as a hobby and as a means for amateurs to engage with heritage management.
Highlights
The hobby of metal detecting has mostly been examined from the perspectives of archaeology and heritage administration
We will assert that heritage management and archaeology cannot be separated from the analysis of metal detecting but should instead be considered as factors in the functioning of this hobby as a social formation, i.e. as a group which, along with its members, is defined by a complex of concrete economic, political and ideological relations and the state of civil society (e.g. Chambers, 2014)
To scrutinize the hobby in the Finnish context, we conducted a survey among metal detector enthusiasts and heritage professionals in 2014 and repeated it in 2019, enabling us to see how the hobby had developed over period of five years
Summary
The hobby of metal detecting has mostly been examined from the perspectives of archaeology and heritage administration. We will assert that heritage management and archaeology cannot be separated from the analysis of metal detecting but should instead be considered as factors in the functioning of this hobby as a social formation, i.e. as a group which, along with its members, is defined by a complex of concrete economic, political and ideological relations and the state of civil society (e.g. Chambers, 2014).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
