What should happen to the Scottish treasure?
Apps and new technology could modernize the search for buried treasure in Scotland, experts say.
The increasing popularity of metal detecting has put pressure on the current Treasure Trove system as more people submit their finds.
Archaeological objects found in Scotland are legally considered “untitled property” and can be claimed by the Crown.
The Treasure Finds Department decides whether they should be offered to museums, which will then pay the finder a financial reward.
Dr. Stuart Allan, who is leading a public review of the treasure trove, says the Edinburgh-based unit needs to move with the times.
He suggests that an app could help by allowing detectorologists to submit finds for a quick initial assessment.
He said: “The aim is to streamline, modernize and use all the tools at our disposal – without having to compromise on the quality of storage and assessment of archaeological information.”
Recent discoveries in Scotland include a Mesolithic harpoon, a memento mori finger ring with a human skeleton and a coin hoard near Peebles dating from 1150 BC. Could have come from BC.
image source, National Museum of Scotland
The National Council For Metal Detecting now has 1,600 members in Scotland, following a rise in numbers since the Covid pandemic.
Amateur and professional archeology has also increased.
Objects are also discovered by field hikers or through magnet fishing.
Even on a recent wet and windy weekend, dozens of hardy enthusiasts walked slowly back and forth across Perthshire farmland.
They searched for objects from all periods of human activity, from prehistoric to modern times and from gold and silver items to coin hoards.
The fields have produced a wealth of finds in the past, so their location is only known to detectorists who have permission to search the ground.
They told BBC Scotland News their hobby was addictive, engaging and a way of connecting them with Scotland’s past.
Lynne Ross, from Motherwell, has been involved in detective work since 2019 and wishes she had started sooner.
She said: “I think when you grow up you think about treasure and the adventure that comes with it.”
Phil Wilson, a builder from Largs, says his passion has been ridiculed by others.
He said: “Some say it’s a nerd’s hobby. I say, no, studying history is the closest you can get to it.”
Colin Irvine, one of Scotland’s most experienced detectorologists, found four 14th-century coins in the field in Perthshire.
He believes there is a need to “speed up the system.”
He explained: “Most finds are returned by the Treasure Trove Unit.”
“Museums are short of money and the location where they were found is often more important than the object itself.”
“I would like finds from 1700 onwards not to be counted as treasures. Ninety percent of our finds date from after 1700, so that would save a lot of time.”
image source, Crown Office
Laws regarding financial rewards differ between Scotland and England and Wales.
In the Scottish system the money is handed over to the finder, who has usually previously made an agreement with the landowner to halve the money.
In rare cases, disputes arise.
In 2019, the Church of Scotland sued for a share of a £2 million Viking treasure unearthed on its land in Dumfries and Galloway.
The case was later settled out of court.
Such difficulties are unlikely to be possible in England and Wales, where the Treasure Act 1996 requires the money to be shared between the finder and the landowner, with the Treasure Valuation Committee deciding how it should be divided.
Alan Tamblyn, general secretary of the National Council For Metal Detecting, said: “Handshakes are great until something goes wrong. It’s important to formalize this.”
The inspection of the treasure trove is being carried out on behalf of the Crown’s representative in Scotland, the King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer.
The public consultation on the review closes on May 13.
