Speaking at the launch of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) annual report, David Lammy, the minister for culture, described metal detectorists as the 'unsung heroes of the UK's heritage'.
Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum, which manages the scheme, said that the increase of 45 per cent was down to the success of the Treasure Act and the PAS. 'The network of finds liaison officers means that we've now got proper national recording of archaeological finds.'
The Treasure Annual report for 2004 was also published last month. It showed a 20 per cent increase in the reporting of treasure on the previous year. Since the Treasure Act was introduced in 1997 the number of reported cases of treasure has increased from 79 in the first year to over 500 in 2004.
One of the finds on show at the launch of the two reports was a Roman copper-alloy figurine of a long-nosed hound. Metal detectorist Alan Rowe discovered it near Newchurch on the Isle of Wight. 'It's a site I've been searching for ten years,' said Rowe. 'It was probably rabbit activity that brought it to the surface. I could make out a rough shape and knew it was something interesting.'
Rowe estimates the figurine, which is not classified as treasure, is worth about £500, which will be split between himself and the landowner once it is sold. He said he hopes it will go to the Isle of Wight County Museum Service, which has acquired the majority of his finds so far.
Archaeologists were looking forward this year to changes to the Treasure Act as a result of the draft coroner's bill. The proposed bill would have meant that there would be just one specialist coroner dealing with finds in England and Wales as opposed to over 100 at the moment, and that there would be an increased duty to report treasure finds.
But Roger Bland, the head of PAS, said he thought it was now unlikely that the bill would get parliamentary time. 'It was a great pity that the bill was not in the Queen's speech. The current system is unsatisfactory,' said Bland.
Bland also said that from next month full responsibility for the administration of the PAS will be transferred from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to the British Museum. To avoid any conflicts of interest, the culture department will continue to handle treasure finds that the British Museum wants to acquire.
The PAS is a voluntary scheme to record archaeological finds found by members of the public in England and Wales. Finds can be reported to a network of finds liaison officers who identify objects and record archaeological information.
Sharon Heal
Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum, which manages the scheme, said that the increase of 45 per cent was down to the success of the Treasure Act and the PAS. 'The network of finds liaison officers means that we've now got proper national recording of archaeological finds.'
The Treasure Annual report for 2004 was also published last month. It showed a 20 per cent increase in the reporting of treasure on the previous year. Since the Treasure Act was introduced in 1997 the number of reported cases of treasure has increased from 79 in the first year to over 500 in 2004.
One of the finds on show at the launch of the two reports was a Roman copper-alloy figurine of a long-nosed hound. Metal detectorist Alan Rowe discovered it near Newchurch on the Isle of Wight. 'It's a site I've been searching for ten years,' said Rowe. 'It was probably rabbit activity that brought it to the surface. I could make out a rough shape and knew it was something interesting.'
Rowe estimates the figurine, which is not classified as treasure, is worth about £500, which will be split between himself and the landowner once it is sold. He said he hopes it will go to the Isle of Wight County Museum Service, which has acquired the majority of his finds so far.
Archaeologists were looking forward this year to changes to the Treasure Act as a result of the draft coroner's bill. The proposed bill would have meant that there would be just one specialist coroner dealing with finds in England and Wales as opposed to over 100 at the moment, and that there would be an increased duty to report treasure finds.
But Roger Bland, the head of PAS, said he thought it was now unlikely that the bill would get parliamentary time. 'It was a great pity that the bill was not in the Queen's speech. The current system is unsatisfactory,' said Bland.
Bland also said that from next month full responsibility for the administration of the PAS will be transferred from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to the British Museum. To avoid any conflicts of interest, the culture department will continue to handle treasure finds that the British Museum wants to acquire.
The PAS is a voluntary scheme to record archaeological finds found by members of the public in England and Wales. Finds can be reported to a network of finds liaison officers who identify objects and record archaeological information.
Sharon Heal
