Since 1994 a television show about professional archaeologists has been gaining popularity in the United Kingdom, and this weeks episode caught my attention!
Time Team is a show that focuses on a team of archaeologists and is usually hosted by either Mick Aston or Francis Pryor. These archaeologists convene at a site with a team of trained professionals, usually in the U.K., that is locally known for an unsolved archaeological mystery or is personal property that has never been excavated and may have interesting items buried underneath. The Time Team uncovers as much as they can about the history of the site in three days and excavates any promising signals, often in conjunction with the local archaeological unit.
This week’s episode of Time Team caught my eye because the issue of “Archaeologists vs. Metal Detectorists” is address. Hosted by Tony Robinson, the show is focused on a possible Viking boat burial in Yorkshire, England. Metal detectorists made the initial discovery of coins, silver and swords and now a team of archaeologists is set to find the source of the objects.
But as Robinson follows the dig he discovers an uneasy relationship between archaeologists and the country’s 50,000 metal detectorists.
The episode is listed on My Park Mag.uk with the description: “For some, the hobby of detecting is all about learning more about the past, but for others it’s the lure of making money by selling what they find on the open market. At a time when the government scheme designed to promote better understanding between these two factions is under serious threat from budget cuts, the programme reveals just how precarious the relationship can be.”
This episode aired yesterday and is certainly worth a look. I’ll keep you folks posted on when it will air on the Discovery Channel UK, or maybe it will pop up on YouTube. Either way - this is one I don’t wanna miss!
Click here to see the Time Team’s page on the Discovery Channel UK’s website. Or click here to check out their Wikipedia page.
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