written by Clive Hammett
Honorary Associate Research Fellow
University of Exeter

The use of metal detecting within archaeology as a standard technique is weakly defined, rarely mandated and its use is ad hoc in practice. There are countless artefacts overlooked in excavations, removed and lost out of context, with the resulting loss of knowledge that would have been gained. 

These much-needed guidelines provide detailed practical advice on how metal detecting can be used effectively in different archaeological scenarios. For instance: low-cost, large-scale field surveying, with the added benefit of community involvement; improving detection and retrieval of artefacts within excavation layers, ensuring they are found in context rather than lost on the spoil heap; and some fresh insights into how to improve detection rates spoil heaps that require some simple pre-excavation preparation.

It also addresses the practical considerations of competency, training and accreditation by providing a framework of different levels of competency, cross matched to specific scenarios, underpinned by simple, easy to implement means of accreditation.

The guidance is based upon years of practical metal detecting and archaeological field experience gained on University of Exeter field schools, the Battlefield Trust and TimeTeam.

By adopting these guidelines It would be relatively easy for both research and commercial archaeology to exploit metal detecting capabilities. The result would be more finds, further insights gained for archaeology, and a framework that would encourage archaeologists, metal detectorists, planning officers and the community to work more closely together.

Go straight to the Guide here: BAJR Guide 63: Metal Detecting in Archaeology: Techniques and Strategies