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Finding archaeological objects: a quick guide to best practiceWhen you have discovered an archaeological object there are a number of things thatyou can do, and one that you must do. This is summarized below and explained in moredetail later in the text.The things that you CAN do include:• picking up the object and storing it temporarily it in a safe and suitableenvironment.• recording the location of the object.• taking photographs of the object and the place where you found it.What you MUST do is: report your discovery to the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel(SAFAP)or contact your Local Authority archaeologist or Museums Officer who can help youidentify your find. They will then report the find to SAFAP on your behalf. Yourname will put down as the finder of the object, and any rewards due will be paidto you.SCAPE encourages everyone to follow the guidelines in this pamphlet,and in that way adhere to what is considered to be best practice.1

When to collect….Two basic premises should be kept in mind when picking up stray archaeological findsfrom the ground. One is the notion that archaeological objects and sites areprecious, fragile and finite resources which need to be treated with care andattention. The other is that in order for new archaeological discoveries to be recorded ina meaningful way it is necessary to know exactly where an object was found.If an object is lying on the ground surface, be it in a field, on the beach or in your garden,you may pick it up. Remember that you should take note of where the object wasfound. If you do decide to pick up an archaeological object and take it home you shouldmake sure that it is stored in a manner that will not damage it. While the find is in yourcare (whether in your home or in your coat pocket) it is your responsibility to store itsafely.…and when not to collect!As a general rule, if an object is embedded in soil (for instance, an exposed section ordune face or an archaeological feature on the ground) do NOT attempt to pull it out. Thiswill speed up the erosion of archaeological deposits, and you may damage the object inthe process. What you can do instead is to record the location of your discovery andreport it to your Local Authority Archaeologist.If an object is fragmented and the pieces are found together in the same spot (forinstance a broken bone object or two halves of the same stone tool), it can be a goodidea to pick up all the pieces. However, a scatter of archaeological objects, like flints ormidden material, can be an indicator of an archaeological site. In this case the objectsshould not be picked up. Your Local Authority Archaeologist should be informed of thediscovery, or you can contact SCAPE.2

It is very common to find small bits of pottery and midden material, such as animal boneand shells, near to eroding archaeological sites, particularly on sandy beaches. Beforepicking this type of material up you should consider what will happen to it once you haveremoved it from the site and taken it home. Are you going to report your discovery to anarchaeologist? Are you going to take the finds to your local museum? Will the objectsend up on your mantle piece? Or in the pocket of your waterproof jacket? While youhave a legal obligation to report all archaeological discoveries, it is not always practicalto do so for every single bit of pottery that you find. Instead, leave the objects where youfound them, make a note of the location and tell your Local Authority Archaeologistabout it.Scheduled Ancient MonumentsSome archaeological sites and monuments are classified as ScheduledAncient Monuments. Such sites are protected by law. To remove anarchaeological find discovered within a scheduled area (including metaldetecting) is a criminal offence.There are about 8000 scheduled sites across Scotland. To find out if aspecific archaeological site is scheduled, and the extent of the protectedarea, please contact Historic Scotland (details on p. 9).What to do with your findWhen you discover an archaeological object and pick it up, the most important bit ofinformation to remember is the location where you found it. Having this information tohand helps pin point a find spot, should you, or someone else, need to return to it in thefuture. It also helps archaeologists keep track of where objects are found, and wherenew archaeological sites may be located.3

Record it!Recording a find spot is best done by relating the location to the British National Grid, forexample by recording the National Grid Reference with a handheld Global PositioningSystem device (GPS) or by plotting the site onto an Ordnance Survey map. If you donot have a map or a GPS with you make sure that you note down the find location assoon as you come home, while this is still fresh in your mind. Or even better, photographthe object in situ (i.e. where you found it and before picking it up). Include as much ofthe surrounding landscape in your photo as you can – this helps to show the location.For more information on how to record a National Grid Reference pleaserefer to the Shorewatch training manual which can be downloaded fromthe Shorewatch website (http://www.shorewatch.co.uk)Label it!If you store a find in your home you should ensure that it is labelled properly to avoidconfusion, and to aid future identification. As a minimum, the information you shouldinclude is:The National Grid ReferenceThe date of when the object was discoveredYou can write these details directly onto the plastic bag or container using an permanentmarker pen.Report it!Reporting your find is not only a legal requirement, it could mean that rare or valuableobjects will get the conservation treatment that they need.4

Finding Human RemainsIt is not unusual to find human bones eroding out of sand dunes and on beaches. Whileit can sometimes be difficult to tell some human skeletal parts apart from animal bones itis important to report your discovery, if you think you may have found human remains.This is a legal requirement, in order to establish whether the human remains arearchaeological, or in fact part of a modern crime scene.It is far more likely that the remains you find belong to a dead animal, rather than ahuman. The most obvious human bones are the skull, the long bones and the pelvis.Figure 1 shows the bones of the human body. Compare what you have found to thediagram. To get an idea of how large the long bones of a human are, think of the size ofyour own bones. In general, a sheep has much shorter long bones, and a cow muchthicker ones. Because you shouldn’t disturb a human burial, a photograph can again bevery helpful.If you think you have found a humanskeleton, the first thing to do is to contactyour local police station who will visit thesite and make a report. It is important thatyou leave the bones where you foundthem and that you do not disturb the site.Once you have contacted your local policestation you do not need to do anythingelse. If the Police take no further action thecase passes Historic Scotland, who maysend a team of archaeologists to examinethe site.Figure 1: A human skeleton.Source: www.learning-connections.co.uk5

How to store an archaeological objectThis section is about how to keep an archaeological find safe and prevent damage to it.Different objects require different environmental conditions depending on what they aremade of. Below are some basic rules of thumb which you can follow while temporarilystoring an archaeological find in your house.StoneObjects made of stone, such as flint and sandstone, are normally quite resilient anddurable. However, they can be more fragile than you think and should be handled withcare. Let wet stone objects dry slowly indoors on a wooden or plastic surface – neverdry them in direct sunlight or close to a heater.Shale and jet: Dry shale and jet are very fragile and should be lifted or handled verycarefully. Wet shale and jet should be stored wet or humid. Do not re-wet shale and jetwhich has dried out, as it may shatter.Amber: Store waterlogged amber wet. Dry amber should be stored humid.PotteryPottery is made of dried, fired clay and is very fragile. Prehistoric pottery, in particular, isextremely fragile, especially when wet. Do NOT attempt to clean it by rubbing it withyour fingers or washing it, as any applied decoration will come off or the whole sherdmay crumble. Sherds can be dried on a newspaper lined tray; this should happenslowly, and never in direct sunlight or close to a heater. Once dry, pottery sherds maybe stored in small plastic bags or lidded plastic containers. To avoid abrasion do notstore too many sherds together in the same container.6

IronKeep all waterlogged iron objects wet – do not allow them to dry out. Dry iron objectscan be stored on newspaper lined trays or in plastic bags/containers, but make sure toperforate plastic containers to allow airing.Non-ferrous metalsNon-ferrous metals include copper, copper-alloys, bronze, tin, lead, silver and gold. Allobjects of these materials should be allowed to dry and stored in a dry environment.Once dry, they should be handled as little as possible.You may be lucky enough to find a coin. If so, avoid the temptation of rubbing orcleaning the faces to see if it has a date. Coins can be very fragile and important detailscan be damaged if you clean the surfaces.Organic objectsOrganic materials include wood, leather, textile, bone, antler, ivory and horn. Objectsmade of any of these materials need to be kept in a moist environment. Do not let themdry out as they will crack and split! Seal organic objects in a plastic bag or lidded plasticcontainer and keep them cool (for instance in the fridge). If you have several organicobjects of different materials store them in separate plastic bags, sorted by material.Making archaeological discoveries: the legal situationTreasure TroveIn Scotland, ALL lost and abandoned property which is not otherwise owned belongs tothe Crown. This is defined by the regalia minora common law rights of the Crown inScotland. Thus, all objects whose original owner or rightful heir cannot be identified ortraced are the property of the Crown, and this also applies to objects of archaeologicaland historical interest. This system is known as Treasure Trove.7

It does not matter whether objects were lost or intentionally hidden, or what materialthey are made of – the Crown may claim finds of almost any date, made from any typeof material. Generally, finds such as fragments of farm machinery, 19th and 20thcentury coins and other modern, everyday objects need not be reported. The systemapplies to finds from anywhere in Scotland, on land, from inland waters, from withinharbours, and from the coast and estuaries down to mean low water level.Receiver of WreckThe duty to declare finds also extends to the sea and seabed – in this case reporting isto the Receiver of Wreck. The Receiver of Wreck deals with wreck which comes fromtidal waters up to mean low water level. All wreck material raised from the seabed mustbe reported and this includes archaeological material. This could be a medieval pot, goldcoins, a prehistoric spearhead or a canon. As with Treasure Trove, a finder reporting afind to the Receiver of Wreck may be entitled to a reward, called salvage award.Reporting your findIn cases of Treasure Trove the Crown Agent is advised by a panel of experts, appointedby the Scottish Ministers, the National Museums of Scotland and the Scottish MuseumsCouncil. This panel is known as the Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel(SAFAP) and this is the body to which you report when you have discovered anarchaeological object. Details of how to report a discovery can be found on the TreasureTrove website (http://www.treasuretrovescotland.co.uk). Most often this processhappens via your local museum curator or Local Authority archaeologist.Once an object has been submitted it will be assessed on behalf of the SAFAP as towhether the object should be claimed as Treasure Trove or not. If it is claimed theSAFAP will recommend which museum the object should be allocated to, and how much8

eward the finder should receive. If an object is not claimed it is returned to the finder forhim or her to keep or dispose of as they please. For further information on this processplease refer to the Treasure Trove website.References:Information on the treatment and storage of objects was summarised from Watkinson,N. and Neal V. 1972: First Aid for Finds. London.Information on the Treasure Trove system in Scotland was summarised from theTreasure Trove website: http://www.treasuretrovescotland.co.ukFurther reading…Richard Hobbs, Celia Honeycombe and Sarah Watkins, 2002, ‘Guide to Conservationfor Metal Detectorists’, Tempus. ISBN 0-7524-2522-6‘The Portable Antiquities Scheme’ website - http://www.finds.org.uk. The PortableAntiquities Scheme (PAS) is a voluntary scheme to record archaeological objects foundby members of the public. Although the scheme covers England and Wales only (notScotland) plenty of useful advise can be found on their website. Note that the Treasuresystem works differently in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, than it does inScotland. The PAS website can provide more information on this.9

ContactsThe SCAPE TrustUniversity of St AndrewsSt. Katharine's Lodge, The ScoresSt. Andrews, FifeKY16 9ALTel: +44 (0) 1334 467172Fax: +44 (0) 1334 463025Email: helpdesk@scapetrust.orgWebsites: http://www.scapetrust.org and http://www.shorewatch.co.ukTreasure Trove SecretariatNational Museums of ScotlandChambers StreetEdinburghEH1 1JFEmail: info@treasuretrovescotland.co.ukWebsite: http://www.treasuretrovescotland.co.ukReceiver of WreckSpring Place105 Commercial RoadSouthamptonSO15 1EGTel: +44 (0) 2380 329 474Email: row@mcga.gov.ukWebsite: http://www.mcga.gov.ukHistoric ScotlandLongmore HouseSalisbury PlaceEdinburghEH9 1SHTel: +44 (0) 131 668 8600Website: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk10

Local Authority ArchaeologistsJudith StonesKeeper of ArchaeologyAberdeen City CouncilWhitespace60 Frederick StreetABERDEEN AB24 5HYTel: 01224 523658Fax: 01224 523660e-mail: judiths@arts-rec.aberdeen.net.ukAberdeenshire; Angus; MorayIan ShepherdArchaeologist, Planning & DevelopmentAberdeenshire Council, Woodhill HouseWestburn RoadABERDEEN AB16 5GBTel: 01224 664723Fax: 01224 664713e-mail: ishepherd.ped@aberdeenshire.gov.ukhttp://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/web/archaeology.nsfArgyll and Bute; Glasgow City; E Ayrshire; ERenfrewshire; Inverclyde; N Ayrshire; NLanarkshire; Renfrewshire; S Ayrshire; SLanarkshire; W DunbartonshireDr Carol SwansonWest of Scotland Archaeology ServiceCharing Cross Complex, 20 India StreetGLASGOW G2 4PFTel: 0141 287 8332-3Fax: 0141 287 9259e-mail: carol.swanson@wosas.glasgow.gov.ukhttp://www.wosas.org.ukClackmannanshire; StirlingLorna MainArchaeologistEnvironmental ServicesStirling CouncilViewforthSTIRLING FK8 2ETTel: 01786 442752Fax: 01786 443003e-mail: mainl@stirling.gov.ukDumfries and GallowayJane BrannArchaeologist, Environment and InfrastructurePlanning and Environment GroupDumfries and Galloway CouncilNewall TerraceDUMFRIES DG1 1LWTel: 01387 260154Fax: 01387 260149e-mail: janeb@dumgal.gov.ukEast LothianBiddy SimpsonHeritage OfficerEast Lothian CouncilJohn Muir HouseHADDINGTON EH41 3HATel: 01620 827158Fax: 01620 827456e-mail: bsimpson1@eastlothian.gov.ukhttp://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/museums/archaeo11

City of EdinburghJohn LawsonArchaeology Officer, Archaeology ServiceDepartment of RecreationCity of Edinburgh Council10 Broughton MarketEDINBURGH EH3 6NUTel: 0131 558 1040Fax: 0131 558 1090e-mail: john.lawson@edinburgh.gov.ukFalkirkGeoff BaileyKeeper of Archaeology & Local HistoryFalkirk CouncilCallendar HouseCallendar ParkFALKIRK FK1 1YRTel: 01324 503783Fax: 01324 503771e-mail: gbailey@falkirkmuseums.demon.co.ukFifeDouglas SpeirsArchaeologist, Planning and Building ControlService, Fife CouncilForth House, Abbotshall Road , KirkcaldyKY1 1RUTel: 01592 417912Fax: 01592 417641e-mail: fifearch@sol.co.ukHighlandArchaeology ServicePlanning & DevelopmentHighland CouncilGlenurquhart RoadINVERNESS IV3 5NXTel: 01463 702502Fax: 01463 702298http://www.higharch.demon.co.ukOrkneyJulie GibsonOrkney Archaeologistc/o Orkney CollegeWeyland, KirkwallORKNEY KW15 1LXTel: 01856 569341Fax: as abovee-mail: oat@lineone.netPerth and KinrossDavid StrachanArea ArchaeologistPerth & Kinross Heritage TrustThe Lodge4 York PlacePERTH PH2 8EPTel: 01738 477080e-mail: DLStrachan@pkc.gov.ukScottish BordersRory McDonaldHeritage Officer, Economic Development &Environmental PlanningScottish Borders CouncilShetlandVal TurnerShetland ArchaeologistShetland Amenity TrustGarthspool12

Newtown St BoswellsMELROSE TD6 0SATel: 01835 825060Fax: 01835 825158e-mail: archaeology@scotborders.gov.ukLerwickSHETLAND ZE1 0NYTel: 01595 694688Fax: 01595 693956e-mail: val@shetlandamenity.orgWestern IslesMary MacLeodIslands ArchaeologistArc-eòlaiche nan Eilean Siar24 Gearrannan, CarlowayISLE OF LEWIS HS2 9ALTel: 01851 643251Fax: 01851 643490e-mail: mary-macleod@cne-siar.gov.uk13