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Old Posted: 26-08-2010 , 12:14 PM #9
snowdaisy
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: kilkenny city centre
Posts: 238
Default what a reaction!

Hi all,
I must say i didnt realise the post would have such a reaction.
Its great that a few more people are aware of it at least.

Unfortunately I think Lundubh misunderstood Eamon Kelly's gist in the Irish Times article as he was arguing AGAINST metal detecting without a licence. Walking the fields never did any harm though and the museum is always interested in what turns up on the surface.

Also I suspect the quote attributed to mr Kelly in the article about important finds only turning up in excavation was incorrect as anyone who reads the papers and looks at the news sees treasures of our national heritage from bronze age gold lunulae stolen from a safe to early christian books popping up in bogs with no archaeologists in view.

Anyway Chris, i am glad to see, agrees that detecting and digging should be left to the archaeologists.
To answer your questions archaeologists are not hobby metal detectorists, there may be an odd one but i personally know no professional who does it outside of work without a licence.
Neither are they members of the society that i know of - we dont need to be as we can apply for a licence if detecting is necessary as part of a considered research or development project.
Metal detecting as a hobby is purely to find objects but archaeologists are more interested in structures, burials etc and finds, metal or otherwise, just add to the overall picture.
Hope this helps
Snowdaisy
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