Treasure Hunter Turns "Detective"

.
For the past couple of days another metal detectorist has been spamming my email inbox to join the other utter jerks who've been doing the same. It seems some people do not want anyone discussing artefact hunting. Steven Taylor a metal detectorist well-known in the Gloucestershire region first decided he was going to set Polish metal detectorists on me, not really recognising the somewhat different (not to say precarious) position of artefact hunting in Poland from that in England. Now he has been sending posts indicating he knows my address and is coming to see me "in two weeks". After, it seems he had worked out the costs and likely consequences (oh, DO bring your metal detector Mr Taylor), he has decided on another form of harassment:

The Poulton Hoard has left a new comment on your post "Collector Buys Exported Hoard but Gives it Back": You seem to have just 2 friends Paul one lives in Canada and another in Germany, I have all there (sic) details as they linked to my site and left a lovely trail, which a blind man could follow. I will post up my new anti barford blog shortly identifying where you and your friends live. With X marks the spot See you soon.

So, if Mr Taylor is not "all mouth and no trousers" as somebody said of him to me three days ago, the blogosphere is reportedly about to be blessed with another anti-Barford blog - this one apparently intends to attack people who even read my texts. That's the third blog opposed to my writing what I write (not counting the libellous Wikipedia article).

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

.
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.

Metal detecting Candyspite reaches new lows

[category: metal detectorist nonsense]

Metal detecting Candyspite reached a new low on Sunday, (Candice Jarman Damien gets caught out!). Apparently Candice reckons it is some kind of character fault to be socially committed, and to show it he has dragged up a ten-year old article from www.freemasonrywatch.org which tells us that:

Three UA students were arrested on charges of trespassing Friday night for protesting animal abuse at a showing of the Shrine Circus - a circus which has been accused of failing to meet the minimal federal standards for the care of animals. Tucson Police Department arrested Jeff Jensen, a biological anthropology junior; Rebecca Feather, a psychology junior; and Damien Huffer, an anthropology freshman, after they entered the Rodeo Fairgrounds, 4801 S. Sixth Ave., and passed out literature about animal abuse [...], the circus rented the land for the weekend, making it private property.

Candice expects his metal detecting audience to frown on such activity. We do not know how many of them are Freemasons, animal lovers or whether any of them campaign for animal rights, what we do know however is that it appears from a recent PET report that the Shrine Circus deserves more than just a few people handing out literature when they come to town. I wonder what Candice Jarman believes in strongly enough to risk arrest protesting about it? Would Candice support the Shrine Circus if they came to his town, or would Mr Jarman join the protesters, or would Mr Jarman join the many who would just turn aside and walk away mumbling that "we don't want any trouble around here"? ("Head down, blinkers on, avoid making eye contact with those outsiders with "ideas"...") Is Candice perhaps a Freemason?

It appears now that Mr Jarman intends engaging on slime attacks on people who appear to be supporting one bloke's conservationist blog, even people they have never met on the other side of the globe. What actually was Jarman's aim in posting that text to his hate blog? Who is next? Colin Renfrew maybe?

Perhaps more on Mr Huffer at a later date

he darkly warns, note that its more "on Mr Huffer" he promises, not any coverage and discussion of what he actually says and stands for.

Mr Jarman is now busily drumming up "support" for his blog and this kind of argument among UK metal detectorists and US "coiney" collectors and dealers. I am quite sure that there are a lot of people in both milieux who are quite happy to see the discussion on artefact collecting brought down to the level of black propaganda and personal attacks in 2011.

Vignette: Animal Rights protestors November 2000, where are these young activists now? Are they ashamed now of what they did ten years ago? Should they be?