Saturday 29 March 2014

Cancel "Nazi War Diggers" Eastern European Metal Detecting Escapade?




Cancel let's have some responsible archaeology TV from National Geographic. So how many responsible metal detectorists (see background) are we going to see join this campaign and why? I am in two minds about this campaign, any damage that was done in the field by these people (if indeed that was the case) has been done and is irreversible, whether the programme is shown or not. But certainly it is worth giving the TV company a run for its money by vehement and troublesome public protest and perhaps after this happens another thirteen or fourteen times (after the "Diggers" fiasco) the American edutainment channel may think twice about commissioning a programme like this without first thinking about what they are doing.   It seems the only way they are likely to be persuaded to do this.

I personally would welcome the show actually being screened in all its crassness. Let people in the UK (first, then the rest of the world) see what the constant PAS "you done well" head-patting has led to - a total lack of self-criticism and only a strengthening of the feeling of entitlement among UK metal detectorists. Perhaps when viewers see hoiking of human remains where a more delicate approach is clearly needed will at last start the public debate about artefact hunting and collecting that we so sorely need and its supporters (PAS included) are so strenuously trying to avoid.

UPDATE: See Heritage Action's  So what IS responsible metal detecting? - by Nigel Swift

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thank you for your excellent work on this important subject. It certainly appears that "sponsors" Legenda have an agenda: their camera work tells all. Every shot in the YoutTube videos depicts close-ups of dug medals and other relics, while paper items (IDs??) are callously torn apart and skulls within helmets are unceremoniously dumped upon the ground.

 
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