Satori
Full Member
Norfolk: the treasure hunter's dream
12 November 2007 06:29
Norfolk has been revealed as the treasure hunting hotspot of Britain after records showed it yielded nearly half the total archaeological finds in the country over the past year.
The staggering statistics put the county firmly at the heart of Britain's treasure map thanks to a combination of rich history, a wealth of arable land and a unique relationship between archaeologists and metal detectors.
A report going to the Norfolk Joint Museums and Archaeology Committee on Friday states that 27,373 - 47pc - of finds recorded nationally in 2006/07 came from the county.
In addition the report states that Norfolk has more cases of officially declared treasure, which accounts for a tiny percentage of archaeological discoveries, than anywhere else in the UK, with 438 cases since 1999.
Among the unearthed treasure are the Happisburgh handaxe, which is the oldest human made artefact from the whole of north-west Europe, a hoard of seven late Bronze Age bracelets from Foxley, a complete torc from south-west Norfolk, Anglo-Saxon jewellery from Harford Farm and an exceptionally rare Roman gold lamella, or good luck amulet, inscribed in Greek and Latin.
The report states the “huge number of new discoveries that are being made on a regular basis is principally through the agency of metal detection in the county”.
Vanessa Trevelyan head of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service (NMAS) said Norfolk's place at the top of the archaeology league was “marvellous”.
“We are doing so well and capturing so much information about the history of the county that we have a particularly good understanding of it too.
“It is because of the fact that plenty of land in Norfolk is under plough and also down to the very proactive relationship we have with metal detectors which was piloted when the equipment was first invented.
“Rather than doing what a lot of other areas did and accuse metal detectors of interfering Norfolk thought it better to collaborate as the practice was going to continue anyway so we may as well be doing it with them and a lot of metal detectors are now experts in their own right.
“What is found is now always reported to us.”
The excellent relationship the service forged was the legacy of one of Norfolk's former leading archaeologists the late Tony Gregory who instigated a policy whereby professionals embraced the work of enthusiasts.
This has been developed to the point today where archaeologists attend metal detector group meetings to advise them on finds.
Ms Trevelyan said the NMAS was also keen to make the information it uncovers as accessible as possible to members of the public and bring out the amateur archaeologist in them.
With this in mind the service developed the Norfolk Heritage Explorer website allowing people in the county to unearth the archaeology on their doorsteps and be encouraged to help with the hunt for more historical treasure as their archaeological appetites are whetted.
12 November 2007 06:29
Norfolk has been revealed as the treasure hunting hotspot of Britain after records showed it yielded nearly half the total archaeological finds in the country over the past year.
The staggering statistics put the county firmly at the heart of Britain's treasure map thanks to a combination of rich history, a wealth of arable land and a unique relationship between archaeologists and metal detectors.
A report going to the Norfolk Joint Museums and Archaeology Committee on Friday states that 27,373 - 47pc - of finds recorded nationally in 2006/07 came from the county.
In addition the report states that Norfolk has more cases of officially declared treasure, which accounts for a tiny percentage of archaeological discoveries, than anywhere else in the UK, with 438 cases since 1999.
Among the unearthed treasure are the Happisburgh handaxe, which is the oldest human made artefact from the whole of north-west Europe, a hoard of seven late Bronze Age bracelets from Foxley, a complete torc from south-west Norfolk, Anglo-Saxon jewellery from Harford Farm and an exceptionally rare Roman gold lamella, or good luck amulet, inscribed in Greek and Latin.
The report states the “huge number of new discoveries that are being made on a regular basis is principally through the agency of metal detection in the county”.
Vanessa Trevelyan head of Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service (NMAS) said Norfolk's place at the top of the archaeology league was “marvellous”.
“We are doing so well and capturing so much information about the history of the county that we have a particularly good understanding of it too.
“It is because of the fact that plenty of land in Norfolk is under plough and also down to the very proactive relationship we have with metal detectors which was piloted when the equipment was first invented.
“Rather than doing what a lot of other areas did and accuse metal detectors of interfering Norfolk thought it better to collaborate as the practice was going to continue anyway so we may as well be doing it with them and a lot of metal detectors are now experts in their own right.
“What is found is now always reported to us.”
The excellent relationship the service forged was the legacy of one of Norfolk's former leading archaeologists the late Tony Gregory who instigated a policy whereby professionals embraced the work of enthusiasts.
This has been developed to the point today where archaeologists attend metal detector group meetings to advise them on finds.
Ms Trevelyan said the NMAS was also keen to make the information it uncovers as accessible as possible to members of the public and bring out the amateur archaeologist in them.
With this in mind the service developed the Norfolk Heritage Explorer website allowing people in the county to unearth the archaeology on their doorsteps and be encouraged to help with the hunt for more historical treasure as their archaeological appetites are whetted.
