Elevenses, Tuesday 27 February, The Portable Antiquities Scheme
The Portable Antiquities Scheme is run by the British Museum and Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales to encourage the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales. Every year many thousands of archaeological objects are discovered, many of these by metal detector users, but also by people whilst out walking, gardening or going about their daily work. Finds recorded with the Scheme help advance knowledge of the history and archaeology of England and Wales.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all finders of gold and silver objects, and groups of coins from the same finds, over 300 years old, have a legal obligation to report such items under the Treasure Act 1996. Following extensive public consultation, several changes to the Treasure Act 1996, known as the Treasure (Designation) (Amendment) Order 2023, came into force on 30th July 2023. Changes to the administration of the Act were made to clarify responsibilities and processes, with the aim of making them more transparent and efficient. The main change was the addition of a new significance-based definition of Treasure.
The aim of the Treasure Act has always been to support the preservation and protection of significant archaeological finds for the benefit of the nation. The new class extends this protection to those discoveries which were not covered by the previous definitions of Treasure which were largely focused on precious metal objects.
In this session Rebecca Griffiths, Finds Liaison Officer for North & East Yorkshire, will introduce you to the changes to the Treasure Act and discuss how they impact museums seeking to acquire objects through the Treasure Act 1996.
Insightful, interactive and informal, come along to gain new insights from our guests, meet colleagues from the region, and connect with the MDY team. Everyone who works and volunteers in museums is most welcome, including museum freelancers who want to stay connected.
There’s no need to book, just click the link below on the day:
If you have any questions about Elevenses, you are new to Microsoft Teams and would like to arrange a familiarisation session, or if you’d like to speak about your current or emerging work at Elevenses please contact Sue Hughes at: sue.hughes@ymt.org.uk.
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