Increasing Popularity of Artefact Hunting with Metal Detectors in Wales

Dr Adam Gwilt (NMW)

The number of people finding treasure in Wales is increasing as metal detecting becomes a more popular pastime, archaeologists have said (Gemma Ryall, 'Metal detecting helps increase treasure finds in Wales',  BBC News 30 April 2017)

National Museum Wales experts said they had seen a year-on-year rise in precious items reported, such as Bronze Age and mediaeval artefacts. South east Wales, Wrexham and southern Pembrokeshire are hotspots for ancient discoveries. About 90% of artefacts are found by metal detectorists. Dr Rhianydd Biebrach said: "We have certainly noticed over the last few years that the amount of treasure finds reported in Wales has increased. "I guess it's partly the popularity of metal detecting which is growing. It's had a lot of publicity from things like [Channel 4's] Time Team and the BBC series Detectorists." [...]   Dr Adam Gwilt, principal curator of prehistory at the National Museum Wales, said "year-on-year" the number of treasure items reported had been increasing since the introduction of the Treasure Act. Some 40 items found in 2016 were currently going through the process to be declared treasure, he added, and he hoped reports of finds would continue to rise. "Hopefully, people will feel that the archaeological heritage of Wales is as important as perhaps our ancient monuments and that we're caring for them for the future so that people in the future can enjoy them as well," he added.

Replace the word "monuments" in what Dr Gwilt said with "sites" (for that is where the collected artefacts are coming from in Collection Driven Exploitation of the Archaeological Record  and it will become clearer what he's saying. Basically he hopes blind and selective looting of the archaeological record will continue to rise, so he can see more decontextualised objects.