Das Portable Antiquities Scheme als Vorbild? Anmerkungen zum Beitrag von Christoph Huth, Arch. Inf. 36, 2013

Abstract

In his article, published in Archäologische Informationen 36 (2013) Christoph Huth provides an overview of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) in England and Wales. Hopefully in Germany the debate of possible steps towards a solution of the increasing problem of uncontrolled degradation of archaeological sites by metal detecting will be pushed forward. A critical examination of PAS will be fundamental. However, a short-term success of the PAS has to be compared with its long-term impact on archaeological sites. The optimistic depiction of PAS by Huth (2013) and other authors point to the huge amount of new data. They refer, however, to pure object studies, interested in the portable antiquities itself but to a lesser degree on questions related to their environment and their situational contexts. Archaeological features are to an appalling degree outside the scope of PAS. Within the good practice of PAS there is no indication of the importance of contexts and the need for a detailed documentation. Continuously there are reports in the British media, which raise some critical questions. Quite often there are reports showing metal detectorists digging on archaeological sites in a quite unprofessional and destructive way in public.
A simple transfer of PAS and the related treasure act to Germany is not suitable. The treasure act does not protect archaeological finds, but only refers to a small part of them by non-scientific reasons. German heritage laws allow much more for the historical and scientific significance of archaeological finds. However, the approach of PAS to involve the public and to establish a dialogue is important to raise acceptance for archaeological scientific backgrounds and to protect the cultural heritage. Regulations by the authorities alone, just referring to the law and without some forms of citizen science will damage the position of archaeology in the public on the long-term.