Mouthy CPAT? The Debate on Preservation in Wales

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A few days ago some bloke from the Wrexham Heritage Society got irate that I pointed out that they were really just a metal detecting club. He thought he'd stick the knife in:

We are supported by the PAS, C.P.A.T & The National Museum of Wales. I would like to ask, why an archaeologist that we have recently worked with called you Paul barford "a mouthy twat"?? This i found very amusing.

No doubt. This archaeologist of course will only say such things behind people's backs, never to their face - let alone justify what issues they have with what I am saying about artefact hunting and the preservation of the archaeological record. Metal detectorists may find such behaviour "supportive", but is it going any way to fulfilling the aims of collaboration with artefact hunters simply to dismiss the sort of concerns raised here? Personally, I think an archaeologist should be addressing the wider issues of artefact hunting and collecting in their dealings with the public. Here however we seem to be observing how it is in practice, with the archaeologist shying away from saying anything his or her metal detecting "partners" might find controversial or unpalatable - so they just play along with the "we are on your side' ploy. Or perhaps this person really believes that archaeology is just about hoiking the stuff out?

Is it the archaeologists of the National Museum of Wales that have such a low opinion of somebody who urges we take a closer look at the way we treat the archaeological record and are telling the Wrexham Heritage Society artefact hunters of this?

Now interestingly enough, we know that in their collaboration with metal detecting clubs in northeast Wales, two of these bodies mentioned by the bloke from Wrexham, the Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust and the Portable Antiquities Scheme are actually represented by the same person. He is named on the PAS website. If we Google this guy's name he turns out to be a weedy young guy with long hair and a beard and who seems to spend most of his time talking to Womens' Institute meetings. If it is this gentleman who as part of his "archaeological outreach" to the public is expressing such an opinion of his older and more experienced colleagues, then he might at least have the decency to make such comments first to my face and say why he is "supporting" artefact hunters in this particular way and why he thinks the issues raised by myself (and my colleagues?) are just so much "mouthy twattery".

I do not expect he will. Still, if the gentleman concerned is the local FLO, we can take comfort from the fact that this sort of "outreach" about matters of concern will soon be ending, the Portable Antiquities Scheme is being closed down in Wales next year, and outreach to the public (if any) will take place through other avenues.

Not Really Doing Much to Combat the "Radical Archaeologists" is He?

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Candice Jarman promised his followers that he'd be "Fighting the lies and distortions of the 'radical archaeologists'..." because he is "incensed at the misinformation and lies spread by the anti-metal detecting/anti-collecting archaeological lobby - hence this blog which will expose their lies and set the record straight on a legitimate and lawful activity".

Well, so far on his blog in January there have been seven posts, including such highlights as: Who am I?, Is Mr Barford a toxic author?, It's YOU who is being unprofessional Mr Barford!, Damien gets caught out!, So now we know.... and suchlike gems...


What we do not find on the "Paul Barford - heritage - the [T]ruth blog" is any kind of response to the texts I have in the same period published about metal detecting in the UK. Candice most obviously has nothing to say in justification of the hobby in the light of the comments contained in posts like:

"Farm Business" Magazine on Treasure Hunting Rage

Blaydon Boyz and an Archaeological "Partner" Filmed in Action

Negligence Writ Large

Have Detector Users Moved as far in their Thinking as Archaeologists?

What the....?

Listen, Can you Hear Anything?

The Heritage Action Artefact Hunting Erosion Count...

British Archaeology Dropping the Ball

One wonders whether Candice is serious about addressing the arguments, or merely intent on discrediting those that raise them, but in the process casting doubt on the ability of the artefact hunters and collectors to engage in any kind of discussion with the public about the way they treat the heritage.

Vignette: Perhaps he is still thinking how to make metal detecting look better.

Not just metal detectorists

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A PAS-sponsored artefact hunting rally began in South Canewdon this weekend, and like years past Jimbo Blaggart, bagged a Roman grot in the first hour. “Artefact hunting is part of my life,” he said, as he waited for a FLO early Monday in his gumboots. “It’s my touch to the past.” But these days when Blaggart dons his cammo gear and picks up his trusty Explorer, he can’t help but think of all of artefact hunting’s current regulations and limits, and he fears for the future.“I'm worried about having legislation passed by different entities that want to stop artefact hunting,” Boggins said as he walked through the swampy woods of the 950 acre Woodstock Plantation, outside Canewdon. “I’m worried they will one day get rid of it altogether.”The lifelong artefact hunter now supports a ballot initiative in Essex to change legislation to ensure artefact hunters a permanent “right to hunt.” Blaggart says: “It will keep local entities from passing legislation that would stop us from having a place to go hunt.”That’s exactly what conservation groups say is the problem with the initiative. “We think there are so many better ways to enjoy the past than destroying a piece of it, “ said Hero Whitehat, a spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Archaeological Sites (PETAS), the main opposition to the initiative. “PETAS as an organization exists to remind people that there’s really no difference in abusing archaeological sites in Britain to them in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else. When any of them are damaged for mere entertainment and profit, we all are the losers in exactly the same way.”It’s that kind of sentiment from PETAS, Heritage Action and other similar groups that have recently sent artefact hunters to collect signatures all across the country.In the last 15 years, “right to hunt” measures have passed in a number of counties including West Midlands, Merseyside, North Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Wisconsin, Lancashire, and Devon (Rutland declared hunting a right in 1777 but now no longer exists).PETAS has opposed every single one. “If we're going to have the right to search and loot archaeological sites,” said Whitehat. “why not have the right to shop and golf? We're talking about making things that are legal, extra legal for no apparent reason.”Whitehat predicts these initiatives will only lead to frivolous lawsuits in the future. “If artefact hunters are going to open the flood gates like this, you're going to see them demanding better access to land, larger Treasure rewards, more liberal requirements regarding reporting. There's really no end to this”.Blaggart, climbing out of the hole he had just dug, called that “ridiculous,” stating responsible artefact hunters have a vested interest in restricting the damage to the archaeological heritage.“We want artefact hunting to be around forever, that’s all”.

Douglas Kennedy, "The Right to Hunt" Fox News March 19, 2010
Turkey season opened in South Carolina this week, and like years past James Earl Kennamer, bagged a bird the first day. “Hunting is part of my life,” he said, as he waited for a flock early Monday in Estill. “It’s my touch to nature.” But these days when Kennamer straps on his cammo pants and loads his double-barreled Zoli 12 gauge, he can’t help but think of all of hunting’s regulations and limits, and he fears for the future.“I'm worried about having legislation passed by different entities that want to stop hunting,” Kennamer said as he walked through the swampy woods of the 950 acre Woodstock Plantation, about 40 miles north of Savannah Georgia. “I’m worried they will one day get rid of hunting altogether.”The lifelong hunter now supports a ballot initiative in South Carolina to change the state constitution and give hunters a permanent “right to hunt.” Kennamer says “It will keep local entities from passing legislation that would stop us from having a place to go hunt.”That’s exactly what animal rights groups say is the problem with the initiative. “We think there are so many better ways to enjoy nature than killing a piece of it, “ said Ryan Huling a spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the main opposition to the initiative in South Carolina. “PETA as an organization exists to remind people that there’s really no difference in abusing cats and dogs to abusing deer and fish. These animals all feel pain in exactly the same way.”It’s that kind of sentiment from PETA and other similar groups that have recently sent hunters to collect signatures all across the country. It’s that kind of sentiment from PETA and other similar groups that have recently sent hunters to collect signatures all across the country.In the last 15 years, “right to hunt” measures have passed in 9 states including Alabama, Minnesota, North Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Montana, Georgia, and Oklahoma (Vermont declared hunting a right in 1777).PETA has opposed every single one. “If we're going to have the right to hunt and fish,” said Huling. “why not have the right to shop and golf? We're talking about making things that are legal, extra legal for no apparent reason.”Huling predicts these initiatives will only lead to frivolous lawsuits in the future. “If hunters are going to open the flood gates like this, you're going to see them demanding longer hunting seasons, larger bag counts, lower age limits. There's really no end to this.”Kennamer calls that “ridiculous,” stating hunters have a vested in interest in small bag counts and age limits. “We want hunting to be around forever, that’s all”

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Whose "prejudices"?

Buffet the cartoon mouse-fixated hate blogger says this blog reflects my “class based prejudices”. Perhaps he is unaware that despite the best efforts of its "partners" the PAS to give the hobby (seen as "dorkish" by many) some form of dignity, the hobby of artefact hunting with metal detectors which he tries so desperately to defend is indeed widely associated by society as a whole with certain social elements.

It was Minister of Culture David Lammy who a few years ago praised metal detecting as allowing all those underprivileged social groups (C2s, Ds and Es in modern sociological parlance) who had been previously "challenged by formal education" some kind of hands-on contact with history. This is published in the PAS annual reports as well as the Hawkshead review of the PAS. It was not me that said it.

In 1995 Laura Bushell, Carrie-Anne Brackstone produced a book called “Oi Pikey! A celebration of Cheap Living”,* which characterizes this social group pretty well. They give a list of “pikey pastimes” as including bingo, car boot sales, complaining, DIY, eBay and metal detecting.

* For the non-Brit: "Pikey is a pejorative slang term used in the UK and Ireland […] to refer to a wide section of the (generally urban) underclass of the country, particularly those on whom the lower middle classes look down [...]"

Metal Detecting: Night Vision Lithium Light

Over on ebay you can buy a light which is advertised as a Night Vision Lithium Light for Metal Detecting. I suppose it must be intended for when they want to go under dense low-hanging vegetation on heavily overcast days.
"This is a great alternative to the traditional head light or flash light which you strap on your head. This light comes brand new & complete with batteries. Lightweight, compact and made to take plenty of rugged treatment, the 5 LED cap light is powered by 2 lithium coin cell batteries for use up to 96 hours. Ultra bright white from 5 LED bulbs with 100,000+ hours or burn time. Completly water resistant, the 5 LED cap Light attaches under the brim of a cap for a number of hands free tasks". Oddly enough the same guy is selling the same product to metal detectorists for 99p, while he's posted them in another section for the huntin', shootin', and fishin' crowd for GBP 4.99. I wonder why that might be?









Left, American pays to be an "Upper Class Twit" for the week, Right, fairly typical UK metal detectorist .

Buffy and the Heritage Action Counter

Steve Welton a "metal detectorist" seems not to understand some basic issues.
Nevertheless he persists in writing about things of which he has no inkling.

Paul Barford was instrumental in the creation of the Heritage Action counter, a web based instrument designed to loosely highlight the possible number of various odd bits of metal unearthed by metal detectorists in order to demonstrate how tedious and time consuming *metal detecting can be.

The purpose of course is entirely different as even an utter ignoramus like Buffy should recognise.

The rest of this section of the "encyclopedia article" is irrelevant. Some basic writing and editorial skills are lacking here. I am nothing to do with Heritage Action, Heritage Journal, nor David Lammy. I support the first two, but am not responsible for what they do or say, so maybe Buffy should start separate articles on them.

I wonder though what possible relevance Steve Welton thinks such a text would have to anyone looking at the encyclopedia outside British metal detecting? Let us note the average length of biographies of British archaeologists more deserving of a place in an encyclopedia is about three quarters of a page of succinct factual material, Buffy just waffles, and gets it wrong.

Ray Blaker gets it wrong too

Ray Blaker Says: December 2, 2007 at 5:12 am

Hmm, maybe one of these guy´s should go back home (To Poland), and open his mouth there (Although I doubt he has the courage to do so), as in his home country they are robbing and pillaging throughout Europe, and selling on the black market. Instead he comes here and tries to destroy a system that is
working, and improving every day !!

Coldfeet uncovered

Another anonymous blog about metal detecting problems, my goodness there do seem to be a lot about don't there?

Coldfeet uncovered: This blog is by a mole within the Covemoles who has seen enough and feels it's about time the UK detecting scene is aware of the devious goings on of Coldfeet (David Hutchings/Chester)

The author calls himself "Crusader" and his profile says: "For obvious reasons my identity must only be available to those that need to know. Quite simply because Coldfeet will do anything to prevent the truth from being revealed." Yes, another UK "detectorist" who wants to make accusations without having to put their name under them and take responsibility for their words.

Buffy the Pie Gobbler Blogs and Gobs

Buffy the Ham Pie Slayer strikes again. He says: "I notice that this Blog has reached across the water to the depths of Poland and Warsaw in particular". Hardly surprising as its author or one of his mates sent me a message inviting me to look at his handiwork. Needless to say, hiding behind his pseudonym, does not advance any argument about the erosion of the archaeological record or the Valetta Convention or any meritorial matters I have raised about portable antiquity collecting, but focusses largely on my mistyping, and quite unneccessarily lectures me on the use of the word "perjury", (I had earlier expressed surprise that a person claiming to be "working in law" would misuse it in the way the author of the new blog did).

Never mind, the guy clearly has nothing to say about what I have posted on my other blog about the ethics and archaeological implications of collecting or any of the wider issues, so intends merely to continue (as do most artefact collectors it seems) a series of personal attacks. It seems that, despite being so concerned in the earlier posts on his blog to point out how unlike the rest of the metal detectorists in the UK he is, he intends to behave in this respect in no way differently from any of the rest.

Oy M8, that's copyrite!

The immediate reason for setting this second blog up was that a number of metal detector using artefact hunters and collectors apparently associated with the "detectorist.co.uk" forum have been harassing me over the past few days with a barrage of email communications concerning what they allege are 'copyright violations' committed by me in my referring to material on their forum and other resources disseminated by the Internet.

It seems to me that these metal detectorists would like to shield their exploitive and erosive hobby from criticism, and are casting about for a means to do it. They typically append footers to the emails in which they make their baseless allegations (copied one from another) denying the recipient the right to share their contents with third parties, and of course have so far denied permission to post their words here so that people can see what they are actually asserting. This is typical, British metal detectorists are typically all mouth and no trousers when it comes to actually backing up their claims with proper and articulate arguments. Members of this milieu are however also making such allegations publicly elsewhere: http://paulbarfordstinx.blogspot.com/

From the messages I have received so far, it appears to me that their senders have not the foggiest idea of what copyright law actually says, neither in their own country (the United Kingdom) nor that in the milieu where the blog arose (Poland) and is hosted (the United States). Their messages suggest to me that they actually have no knowledge of what can be copyrighted and what not and are too lazy to try to find out. They appear to have no knowledge of what constitutes fair use in criticism and review. They seem to think that the laws of copyright have in some way been formulated to prevent free speech and to protect THEIR hobby from any form of scrutiny or criticism, rather than its true purpose to protect the physical products of creativity.

So I invite these individuals to an open and civil discussion of their grievances here on this blog. Only one rule, no pseudonyms, real names only guys. What is the problem in signing your own name beneath your own words?