11.00-16:00: Finds identification & recording (have your archaeological finds identified by experts from the British Museum and Portable Antiquities Scheme).

Conservation advice & XRF machine (get advice on how to conserve your finds and have them analysed by British Museum experts – XRF kindly supplied by Oxford Instruments).

Finds displays (displays of recent finds found by metal-detector users).

Roman, Viking and Elizabethan re-enactors (meet your favourite historical characters and experience the times they lived in – if weather is fine the Viking camp will be outside in the front court).

Demonstration of the virtual Anglo-Saxon village of West Mucking (hear about the village and then go and explore it yourself in the Reading Room – see below).

13.00: Viking Battle (outside in the front court if weather is fine).

15.30: Viking Battle (outside in the front court if weather is fine).

Reading Room

10.00-16.00: Family Back Packs (find out about archaeology using our Archaeology family back pack - available from the Enquiry desk in the Reading Room).

10.00-17.00: Family Trails (find out about Anglo-Saxon objects with the Exploring Britain family trail - available from the front desk in the Reading Room).

10.00-17.30: Virtual Anglo-Saxon village of West Mucking (explore the village yourself and have a go at some archaeological field-work).

11.00-11.30 Object handling (handle real archaeological finds in the Children’s library).

12.00-12.30: Object handling (handle real archaeological finds in the Children’s library).

14.00-14.30: Story-telling (hear a story in the Children’s library).

15.00-15.30: Story-telling (hear a story in the Children’s library).

Galleries

11.00-16.00: Object handling (handle real archaeological finds – Room 36).

12.30-13.00: Talk: terrible Tudors tamed (Silke Ackerman, Room 46).

13.30-14.00: Talk: Viking Treasure - the Cuerdale Hoard (Barry Ager, Room 41).

14.00-14.30: Talk: England's answer to Charlemagne? The new gold coin of Coenwulf of Mercia (Gareth Williams, Room 68).

14.30-15.00: Talk: Treasure of Celtic Europe & Roman Britain (Richard Hobbs, Room 2).

We are delighted to announce that a Code of Practice on Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales has been agreed by all key archaeological bodies and metal detecting and landowners’ organisations. This is the first time that these bodies have joined together to precisely define responsible metal detecting and provides a clear and unambiguous definition of what constitutes good practice.

The signatories are the National Council of Metal Detecting, the Federation of Independent Detectorists, the Country Land and Business Association, the National Farmers Union, the Council for British Archaeology, English Heritage, National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, The British Museum, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the Society of Museum Archaeologists and the Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. The agreement is voluntary but has the full endorsement of the signatories and all parties are committed to ensuring its members abide by the advice set out in the document.

The agreement covers three aspects of metal detecting. The first section,'Before you go metal–detecting’, states you must obtain permission to search from the landowner, adhere to laws concerning protected sites, join an official metal-detecting club and follow conservation advice.'Whilst you are detecting’ states that findspots should be recorded as accurately as possible, that ground disturbance should be minimal and that the Country Code should be respected. Finally it offers advice on procedures after you have been detecting. Any and all finds should be reported to the landowner and the Portable Antiquities Scheme, detectorists must abide by the provisions of the Treasure Act and must seek expert help if they find something large or an object made from unusual material and that they must call the police if they discover any human remains.

It is hoped that the Code, alongside the Treasure Act legislation will ensure that situations like that at Wanborough where the site of a Romano-Celtic temple was decimated by unscrupulous treasure hunters will not happen again. There have been many cases, particularly recently, of responsible reporting of finds which have been of invaluable use to the archaeological record, the Ringlemere Gold Cup, the Winchester Hoard and the Staffordshire Moorlands Pan are but a few examples. The continuation of good relations between archaeologists, museums and metal detectorists as embodied by the Code will build on these examples and form the model for the future.

Dr Mike Heyworth, Director - Council for British Archaeology commented:

“This Code represents a major step forward. It builds on earlier efforts to provide guidance to all users of metal detectors. It emphasises the positive contributions that responsible metal detectorists can make to the study of the past through the knowledge we can obtain from finds and their archaeological contexts. The Code also serves to emphasise the distinction between responsible metal detectorists and the minority of irresponsible individuals who use their equipment for personal gain”.

Steve Critchley, Chairman – National Council for Metal-Detecting said:

 “This Code is both fair and practical. By adhering to this Code the vast majority of metal-detectorists will be able to demonstrate that they have a genuine interest in the past and wish to benefit from the knowledge they gain from their hobby. The National Council for Metal Detecting will be replacing its existing Code, a part of its Constitution, with the new one. Adherence to the Code when metal detecting is a condition of membership”.

For further information please contact Hannah Boulton in the Press Office on 020 7323 8522 or hboulton@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

Notes to Editors:

• The Code of Practice on Responsible Metal Detecting has been endorsed by the British Museum, the Council for British Archaeology, the Country Landowners and Business Association, English Heritage, the Federation of Independent Detectorists, the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council, the National Council for Metal Detecting, the National Farmers Union, the National Museum Wales, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales and the Society of Museum Archaeologists.
• The Portable Antiquities Scheme is a voluntary scheme to record archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales. Every year many thousands of objects are discovered, many of these by metal-detector users, but also by people whilst out walking, gardening or going about their daily work. Such discoveries offer an important source for understanding our past. The Scheme is run and administered from the British Museum. More information can be found on www.finds.org.uk
• Some of the greatest British archaeological finds are on display in Room 2 at the British Museum.

The post-holder will be a postgraduate student of the Department of Classics, King’s College London and will also spend part of their time on placement with the Portable Antiquities office at the British Museum.

Project description
The doctoral project will:

(1) evaluate as a research resource a significant new source of archaeological data, namely metal-detected finds recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme;

(2) assess the impact of metal-detected data on our understanding of the distribution, density and character of settlements, with particular reference to Roman Britain.

This project aims to develop and apply principles analogous to those for characterising other types of archaeological data in order to assess and enhance the value of metal-detected data for research purposes. The post holder will review previous research in the use of metal-detected data for characterising past societies. The post holder will assess the national distribution of metal-detected data in the PAS database and in close consultation with PAS staff will then select sample regions for detailed study. S/he will analyse the distribution of metal-detected finds and compare this to other evidence for Roman British activity in the sample landscapes, using data on the Historic Environment Records as a starting point. The post holder will assess the impact of metal-detected data on the interpretation of societies in those landscapes.

The AHRC collaborative doctoral award scheme is intended to allow students to gain first hand experience of working outside the academic environment, in order to develop their employment related skills and training. In the case of this award the post holder will spend part of their time on placement with the PAS. As well as working on their doctoral project, during this placement they will be expected (1) to produce a report into the research value and significance of metal-detected data, drawing from the experience and results of their research, as a resource to guide the future training of PAS staff and (2) to help guide students and other researchers with an academic interest in the Scheme’s data to their potential uses.

Candidate eligibility and qualifications
The post-holder will need to meet the eligibility criteria of the AHRC for a full doctoral award, both as regards residency (he/she will need to have a relevant connection with the UK, usually through residence. EU Nationals will need to have been in the UK in full time education for the 3 years prior to the start of the course) and also as regards academic criteria (he/she should normally have, or be studying for, a Master’s degree or similar qualification. If he/she has already gained or completed the requirements of a doctoral degree in any subject however funded, they are not eligible to apply. For full details see: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/apply/postgrad/postgrad_details_d/eligibility.asp
For further details on AHRC maintenance grants see: http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/ahrb/website/images/4_97065.pdf

The candidate will have a degree at master’s level in archaeology or a related discipline, and ideally experience of one or more of the following areas (a) material culture of the Roman period in Britain (b) tools of spatial analysis in archaeology (GIS). The post holder will need to be self-motivated, highly organised and used to working to deadlines. They will also need to be computer-literate and experienced in using databases.

Further information and application
For more information on this studentship please contact Dr John Pearce, department of Classics, King’s College London (020 78482252, john.pearce@kcl.ac.uk). Further information on the Portable Antiquities Scheme and its role in this award please contact Dr Roger Bland (rbland@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk) or Sally Worrell (s.worrell@ucl.ac.uk).

To apply candidates should complete and return the King’s College London postgraduate application form together with a research proposal of not more than 500 words. Application forms may be obtained by contacting humanities@kcl.ac.uk or from the KCL School of Humanities website (http://www.kcl.ac.uk/hums/grad/humap.html) or from the following address:

The Graduate Programme
School of Humanities
Main Building, Room 3B
King's College London 
Strand
London WC2R 2LS

Closing date: 12 May 2006. It is expected that interviews for this award will take place in early June.
 

This extends beyond archaeology to history, sociology, anthropology, and several other disciplines. The aim is to examine what destruction as a phenomenon does to material culture and intangible heritage, and, by extension, our communities and perceptions. Included in this is why specific destruction occurred the way it did, what its effects were, how the collective 'memory' of destruction evolves over time, and the significance of the choices we make about interpreting and discussing destruction that occurred in the past. This conference will incorporate not just theoretical research about the past, but also topics such as how information about destruction is presented and used in the present, how this affects the conservation choices we make, and practical issues such as how we identify or isolate deliberate destruction from that caused by natural and other causes.

Saturday, 27 May 2006
9:00 Registration

9:30 Welcome and Introduction

Lila Rakoczy & Nick Trustram Eve, Conference Organisers

9:50 Keynote Paper: Archaeologies of War and Wars of Archaeology

Dr. John Carman (Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity, University of Birmingham)

10:30 Changing identities: Urban industrial heritage is a loaded gun

Malcolm Cooper, FSA (Chief Inspector, Historic Scotland)

11:00- 11:30 Tea Break

11:30 Destruction of Items of Cultural Heritage in Cultural Cleansings

Dr. Kevin Smith, J.D. (Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of Memphis, USA)

12:00 Architectural ‘Ethnic Cleansing?’—The destruction of the Roman tetrapylon at Caerleon

Dr. Ray Howell (University of Wales, Newport)

12:30 “Carthage must be destroyed!” Does Cato still haunt Carthage?

Farès Moussa (University of Edinburgh)

1:00- 2:30 Lunch

2:30 Which Destruction? A Response to Destruction in Seventeenth-Century China

Dr. David Pattinson (East Asian Studies, University of Leeds)

3:00 Cosmic Catastrophes and the Death of Astronomy

Martin Lunn MBE FRAS (Curator of Astronomy, Yorkshire Museum)

3:30- 4:00 Tea Break

4:00 War destruction and post-war reconstruction: Bilbao, Barcelona, and Madrid and the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Olivia Muñoz-Rojas Oscarsson (Sociology/Cities Programme, LSE)

4:30 ‘Die Katastrophe’: Destruction, Memory, and Area Bombing in the Second World War

Shaun Richardson (Ed Dennison Archaeological Services)

5:00 Keynote Paper: The Centre de la Mémoire d’Oradour-sur-Glane

Max Boisrobert (Historic Buildings Inspector of the Haute-Vienne, France

6:00-7.30 Wine Reception at the King's Manor refectory

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, 28 May 2006
9:30 Preservation by destruction: The demolition of Bedford Castle

Matt Edgeworth (Independent Archaeologist)

10:00 Windsor Castle—destruction and salvage

Brian Kerr (Head of Archaeological Projects, English Heritage)

10:30 The Dissolution of the Monasteries: Nationalisation and Privatisation for Maximum Profit

Stuart Harrison (Ryedale Archaeological Services)

11:00- 11:20 Tea Break

11:20 Burning issues: Interpretations of destruction and the medieval archaeology of the Welsh borders - Michael Fradley, English Heritage

11:50 Violent Dialogues Between Mourners and Tombs: Disfiguring Cyrenean Cemeteries in Imperial Times - Igor Cherstich (Social Anthropology, SOAS) & Luca Cherstich (Classical Archaeology, University of Oxford)

12:20 Reconsidering “Looting”: Destruction or Alternative Archaeology?: Ioanna Antoniadou (Archaeology, University of Southampton)

12:50- 2:00 Lunch

2:00 ‘Our Churches and Houses Defaced’: Aspects of Urban and Suburban Destruction in Civil War Colchester and Newcastle: John Mabbitt (Asst. Keeper of Field Archaeology, Tyne and Wear Museums)

2:30 Demolishing Roman Britain: James Gerrard (Archaeology, University of York)

3:00 The Disaster That Wasn’t: A Challenge to the Abandonment Theories from Cholula, Mexico: Jolene Debert (Archaeology, University of Manchester) & Dr. Geoffrey G. McCafferty (Archaeology, University of Calgary)

3:30 Closing Remarks

Dr. John Carman & Lila Rakoczy
 

The running order is as follows:

10.00: Welcome (Neil MacGregor, British Museum).

Advancing knowledge of archaeological finds I (Chair - Ian Leins).

• 10.05: Upper crust rust detecting social status from iron finds (Claire Heywood, British Museum).
• 10.25: Interpreting Roman gold coins found in Britain (Roger Bland, British Museum).
• 10.45: Pierced and reused coins - an overview (Laura Burnett, Ashmolean Museum).
• 11.05: Stray coin finds in England, 1180-1351 (Julian Baker, Ashmolean Museum).
• 11.25: Discussion.

11.35: Coffee

Advancing knowledge of archaeological finds II (Chair – Helen Geake).

• 12.00: Late Iron Age and Roman bronze bovine vessel mounts (Angie Bolton, Worcester City Museum).
• 12.20: Ingots and Thor's hammers: finding the Vikings at last? (Tim Pestell, Norwich Castle Museum).
• 12.40: Regional trade in English and Continental textiles in England - the picture emerging from cloth seals (Geoff Egan, Museum of London).
• 13.00: Discussion.

13.10: Lunch (please make your own arrangements)

Advancing knowledge of archaeological sites (Chair – Sally Worrell).

• 14.00: Finding common ground: archaeologists and metal-detectorists… Anglo-Saxons and Vikings (John Naylor & Julian Richards, University of York).
• 14.20: Tarde venientibus ossa – rescuing the Roman cremation at Beckfoot, Cumbria (Dot Bruns, Lancashire County Council).
• 14.40: Finds from the River Tees at Piercebridge, Co Durham (Philippa Walton, Cambridgeshire County Council).
• 15.00: Finds, sites, monuments and landscapes (Jude Plouviez, Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service).
• 15.20: Discussion.

15.30: Coffee

Conserving the past (Chair – Roger Bland).

• 16.00: 'From grot to bling? - some conservation advice to the PAS' (Jim Spriggs, York Archaeological Trust).
• 16.10: Fulford: making sense of surface finds (Chas Jones, Fulford Battlefield Society).
• 16.30: The Bromham mirror (Julian Watters & Phil Carter, Verulamium Museum).
• 16.50: Discussion.

17.00: Close

The PAS, which is run by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), is the country's largest community archaeology project and its annual report (2004/5) contains information about finds reported by amateur archaeologists, metal detectorists, gardeners, farmers, builders and walkers.

The DCMS Treasure Annual Report includes details of objects reported under the Treasure Act 1996. Finders have a legal obligation to report potential treasure finds over 300 years old, generally gold and silver objects, and the Act ensures that, where possible, such items become available to the public in our museums.

Items discovered go back to the Prehistoric period and range from a first century nail cleaner to one of the most remarkable examples of ornate Roman Oil lamp found in Britain; a mystery seventh century head, beautiful jewellery, and a stunning coin which proves the existence of a little known Roman Emperor Domitian II.

A selection of the objects will be on view at today's launch at the Museum of London, including:

• Eighteenth century apple or cheese scoops from London (c.1700) - three apple or cheese scoops made from the metapodial bones of sheep which were found on the Thames foreshore, City of London and are in excellent condition of preservation.
• Roman copper-alloy figurine (50-100 AD) - Roman copper-alloy fitting from a table leg in the form of the deity Attys, found in Reigate, Surrey. The object appears to be unique in Roman Britain. The only known parallel comes from Pompeii.
• Roman silver coin (c.271 AD) - a base silver Roman coin known as a radiate of the emperor Domitian II was discovered in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire - the first such coin found in Britain. The only other was found in France and was thought to be a fake until the discovery of the British coin proved the existence of the short-lived emperor.
• Iron Age electrum torc (c.200-50 BC) - a fine example of a beautifully manufactured late Iron Age necklace. Found in South West Norfolk.
• Iron Age scabbard mount (100 BC - 100AD) - a beautiful example of Late Iron Age copper-alloy scabbard mount.
• Anglo-Saxon skillet (c.675 - 800 AD) - an important early Christian grave object, this find is made of sheet copper-alloy skillet, with a riveted mount in the form of a cross. Found in Shalfleet Parish, Isle of Wight. Anglo-Saxon jewellery (c.625-675 AD) - two gold pendants with polychrome glass settings, a gold spacer bead and a number of copper-alloy girdle accessories, were unearthed from a female burial site in Thurnham, Kent.
• A silver coin (c.1062 - 1065) - unique silver cut halfpenny of Edward the Confessor found in Gloucester. Coins of this date are very rare.

Culture Minister David Lammy, who is announcing the launch of both reports today, says:

"Treasure and PAS are remarkable success stories. This past year has seen a four-fold increase in the reporting of Treasure finds and the reporting of 67,213 archaeological items by the public. This is largely thanks to the Finds Liaison Officers who are the experts on your doorstep - there to advise finders on their discoveries. It is encouraging that so many people, no matter what their background, are learning more about the history of their area through archaeology."

Mark Wood, Chair of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which manages PAS says:

"Uncovering buried treasure is a dream which inspires thousands of amateur archaeologists in this country and the fact that a record number of finds has been discovered and registered this year shows that the Portable Antiquities Scheme is inspiring more and more people. Some of the country's most important archaeological finds are unearthed by members of the public and as a result important new archaeological sites are being discovered."

Title: Discovery and Display, Research and Reconstruction: Understanding and Presenting the Past.

Date: Saturday, November 12th, 2005.

Venue: The Ironbridge Institute, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Coalbrookdale, Telford, Shropshire.

Description: The somewhat eclectic mix of themes that make up this day school reflect some of the wide ranging interests of Mike Stokes, in honour of whom this day has been arranged. There is something for everybody! The papers will range from Romanesque sculpture (or not?) in Herefordshire to medieval ceramics in Warwickshire, and from Roman Shropshire to an Iron Age Hill Fort and Experimental Archaeology in Pembrokeshire.

Fees: £6.00 per person (Please note that Lunch is not included as part of the fee).

Programme:

Chairman: Dr Michael Hodder, CBA West Midlands

10.00 Welcome and Introduction.
Dr Michael Hodder and Mary White (Shrewsbury Museums)

10.15 - 11.15 An enigma in stone: the Upton Bishop sculpture.
Dr John Hunt, CBA West Midlands and University of Birmingham.

11.15 - 11.45 Coffee

11.45 - 12.45 Medieval patterned floor tiles in Warwickshire since 1936: what do we know and where do we go from here?
Iain Soden, Senior Project Officer for Northamptonshire Archaeology, and formerly Coventry Planning Archaeologist.

12.45 - 1.00 Discussion.

1.00 - 2.15 Lunch (NB: Attendees should bring a packed lunch or find lunch locally).

2.15 - 3.15 Rebuilding the Iron Age: Excavation and Experiment at Castell Henllys.
Dr Harold Mytum, University of York

3.15 - 3.45 Tea

3.45 - 4.45 Investigating and Interpreting Wroxeter, 1950-2000.
Dr Roger White, University of Birmingham.

4.45 - 5.00 Discussion.

5.00 Close.

Enrolment Instructions:

To enrol for the Day School, please complete the enrolment form on this page;
Indicate the number of places that you wish to book and enclose the appropriate fee.

Please ensure that you include your full postal address and a telephone number where indicated.

Please return enrolment forms to:

Mr John Haslam
32 Turner Road
Chapelfields
Coventry
CV5 8FT

Tel 02476 672589

Cheques should be made payable to 'CBA West Midlands'.

Closing date for applications: Thursday, November 3rd, 2005.

-------------------------------------------------

CBA Day School Enrolment Form

‘Discovery and Display, Research and Reconstruction:
Understanding and Presenting the Past,’ Saturday 12th November 2005.

Name: ___________________________________________________________________

Please reserve _______ place(s) for me on the Day School.

I enclose a fee of £ _______

Cheques should be made payable to ‘CBA West Midlands’.

My Address: _______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________ Postcode: ______________________

Telephone: ________________________________

Email: _____________________________________

This event is supported by the Council for British Archaeology, West Midlands Regional Group; the Ironbridge Institute and the Institute of Antiquity and Archaeology, University of Birmingham; and the Shropshire Archaeological Society.

London, 7 October 2005 -- Key stage two teachers no longer need to spend hours trying to find resources for historical lesson plans with the launch of a new website by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), which is run by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). PAStexplorers - www.pastexplorers.org.uk - provides free stand-alone lesson plans which tie into the national curriculum for history, geography, ICT, citizenship and literacy.

Teacher trainer, Andy Bowles, Senior Lecturer in Education at Leeds Metropolitan University said:

"This website developed by archaeologists, education specialists and children contains neat simulations, an easily searchable database and includes a timeline and lots of images. For teachers of British and other histories from foundation to KS4, this unique tool contextualises history. It would support work in all units in the National Curriculum and makes a wonderful investigation tool. It promotes and develops real enthusiasm and total independence in personalised learning."

The content has been written for teachers by teachers with the help of archaeologists, while children chose the graphics and appearance of the site. Children have their own 'fun' section and they can play a Buried Treasure game and explore a virtual Anglo-Saxon Village called West Mucking.

Mark Wood, chair of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which manages PAS says:

"We developed the website with a dual purpose in mind - to be a fun and educational site for children and to be a vital resource for teachers. In order to achieve both of those goals we have developed the website based on the feedback of children and teachers. For example, the characters that you see on the site were specifically chosen by children and teachers piloted the lesson plans on their classes."

A summary of the features included in the new website are:

1. A virtual Anglo-Saxon village (West Mucking), which children can explore to learn more about life in the mid-sixth century.
2. Lesson plans and support materials tying into the interactive Anglo Saxon village to teach the 'Settlers and Invaders' section of the National Curriculum as well as linking into other subject areas.
3. A virtual archaeological survey, where children get to do their own field walking and metal detecting.
4. Pack Your Bag, an exercise in decision-making skills based around virtual fieldwork planning, where children choose and pack their own fieldwork equipment.
5. A 'Fun Zone', where children can get extra information about finds, archaeology, time periods and how to get involved in archaeology.
6. An archaeological database of finds recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme which lets children (and adults) discover what has been found where they live.
7. Period guides covering the prehistoric period, the Iron Age, the Romans, Medieval and post-Medieval period.
8. A guide to archaeology and treasure.

Culture Minister David Lammy says:

"PAStexplorers is a fun and colourful website, teaching children all about unearthing the secrets of the past and exploring history in a fun way. Teachers are provided with all the resources they need to teach children about archaeology while tying in with the National Curriculum. It should encourage some exciting school projects and teachers can help children to go out and learn about the history of the area where they live and go to school."

- ends -

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact Emma Poole/ Gemma Crisp on 020 7273 1459, email emma.poole@mla.gov.uk and gemma.crisp@mla.gov.uk

MLA

MLA is the national development agency for museums, libraries and archives, advising the government on policy and priorities for the sector. MLA's roles are to provide strategic leadership, to act as a powerful advocate, to develop capacity and to promote innovation and change. www.mla.gov.uk

The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS)

The Portable Antiquities Scheme is the largest community archaeology project this country has ever seen. It was established in 1997 to encourage the voluntary recording of archaeological objects found by the public and to broaden public awareness of the importance of such finds for understanding our past.

PAS is managed by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. It was previously funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, but the current grant runs out in March 2006. This new funding of £1.25 million a year was announced as part of the 2004 Spending Review at the end of last year.

PAS operates across the whole of England and Wales through a network of 36 finds liaison officers who also play a crucial role in the effective operation of the Treasure Act, encouraging finders to report their finds and guiding them through the Treasure process. The presence of a Finds Liaison Officer increases the reporting of Treasure by up to five times. The data recorded - itself an important educational resource - is published on the Scheme's website ( www.finds.org.uk ) allowing public access to over 127,000 records and over 50,000 images of finds, as diverse as prehistoric flints to post-medieval buckles - and new finds are going online everyday.

PASt explorers - www.pastexplorers.org.uk

PASt explorers is an exciting new and interactive children's website about archaeological finds. It has been developed by archaeologists with input from children and teachers at every stage of its development.

PASt explorers aims to be a teaching and learning resource, both for formal and informal learning, and links in with the national curriculum for subjects such as citizenship, geography, history, ICT and literacy.

-ends-

Emma Poole
Media and Events Manager

Museums, Libraries and Archives Council

T: 020 7273 1459

E: emma.poole@mla.gov.uk

W: http://www.mla.gov.uk/

Join the MLA News email list at: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/mlanews.html

The exhibition was launched with an excellent speech from Tim Loughton MP, who is an archaeologist in his own right and a powerful advocate for the Scheme in Parliament. He complimented Liz on the great results in Sussex since her appointment two years ago as Finds Liaison Officer for the whole of Sussex. She has established excellent working relationships with the metal detectorists in the county.



The theme is medieval objects, some of which come from sites in Shoreham and others from further afield such as Steyning and Henfield. The Curators of both those museums attended the Private View, along with Cllr. Brian Coomber of Adur DC and representatives of the West Sussex Library Service, the Record Office, detectorists, amateur archaeologists, Sussex Archaeological Society representatives and many many more.

The exhibition will be on view at Marlipins until 3rd September and provides a rare opportunity for people to see these objects from private collections which help us to build up a picture of our p

The pan, although lacking its handle, is an extremely well preserved enamelled and inscribed bronze trulla dating to the Roman period. It was made both as a functional vessel and as a 'souvenir' of Hadrian's Wall, and is a find of great national and international significance. Uncovered by a metal detectorist in Staffordshire in June 2003, it was promptly reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme who drew the attention of relevant museums to the find.

The Staffordshire Moorlands Pan, adapted from photos by S.Laidlaw, IOA.

The shared acquisition of the pan will mean that people across the country will be able to admire and enjoy this remarkable object. It will enable the pan to be seen in the context of the original find site, of Hadrian's Wall and as part of the foremost collection of Romano-British material in the UK. The pan will be displayed initially in the British Museum, it will then travel to the Potteries Museum for display during 2006 and to Carlisle for 2007. Replicas of the pan are being made as part of the acquisition grant to ensure that when the original is at one venue, a representation of the pan can still be displayed at the other venues.

The inscription rendered in black and white.

Kate Clark, Heritage Lottery Fund Deputy Director, Policy and Research, said:
"This two thousand-year-old souvenir of Hadrian's Wall is a very special part of our past and one which people across the country should have the chance to see. This unique sharing scheme is exactly the sort of innovative joint working that the Heritage Lottery Fund wants to encourage UK museums to undertake".

Hilary Wade, Director of the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle, commented:
"This is a wonderful 'icon' to focus on the rich Roman heritage of Carlisle and the western end of Hadrian's Wall. Tullie House looks forward very much to displaying it in 2007 and to working with our new partners".

Ian Lawley, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Head of Museums said 'The joint acquisition of the Staffordshire Moorlands Pan by the three museums is truly trail-blazing. It marks a new era in co-operation between National and regional museums and will enable this enormously significant national treasure to be seen and enjoyed by a large number of people at all three venues. We hope that this will be the first of many such partnerships'.

Ralph Jackson, Curator of Romano-British collections at the British Museum in London added:
"This little gem of British craftsmanship, a unique find of the greatest importance, shows us that Hadrian's Wall was as famous in the Roman world as it is today. Visually striking and replete with fascinating information, it is a most notable acquisition for the nation".

The Staffordshire Moorlands Pan dating to the mid 2nd century AD the pan is intricately decorated with a band of Celtic-style roundels. Spectacularly colourful, the roundels are inlaid with red, blue, turquoise and yellow enamel. The pan at its widest diameter is 94mm and it weighs 132.5g. Immediately above the band of roundels is an engraved inscription which lists four forts on Hadrian's Wall:

1. MAIS (Bowness-on-Solway)
2. COGGABATA (Drumburgh)
3. VXELODVNVM (Stanwix)
4. CAMMOGLANNA (Castlesteads)

The mention of Drumburgh is interesting as this is the first time the name of this fort has been found on a Wall souvenir. The other part of the inscription is the most significant and reads RIGORE VALI AELI DRACONIS. The first ten letters appear to be a direct reference to Hadrian's Wall. The remaining letters may be interpreted as the personal name Aelius Draco (or Dracon) which may be that of the person it was made for, perhaps an officer whose command related to the Wall. Draco is a Greek name, suggesting an origin in the eastern Roman Empire. 'Aelius' is Hadrian's family name and would have been traditionally adopted by anyone obtaining Roman citizenship under his rule. This is the first time that a personal name has been found within the inscription on such a vessel. Further research on the inscription is being undertaken and may reveal yet more information about the find and about life in and around the Wall itself, the most potent symbol of the Roman province of Britannia.

The Scheme's record of this object can be found under PAS ID:
WMID-3FE965 and the link to the BM's compass record will be added in due course.
A high resolution image can be viewed at the http://www.finds.org.uk/patera.htm

For further information or images of the pan please contact Hannah Boulton at the British Museum on 020 7323 8522 or hboulton@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk or Tony Adams at tony.adams@civic2.stoke.gov.uk or Cheryl Eastburn at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery on 01228 534781 or cheryle@carlisle-city.gov.uk

Notes to Editors
• The pan will be on display at the British Museum from 17 August 2005 until the end of December. It will go on display in the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery for the whole of 2006 and the Tullie House Museum and Gallery for 2007.
• The Heritage Lottery Fund enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation's heritage for everyone to enjoy. They have supported more than 16,000 projects, allocating £3.3billion, of which £1billion has been awarded to museums and galleries, across the UK.
Website: www.hlf.org.uk. For more information, please contact Katie Owen, HLF press office, on 020 7591 6036.
• The tripartite acquisition is in keeping with the aims of the British Museum's Partnership UK, the largest and most wide-ranging of any such scheme between a national institution and other museums around the country. Its principal purpose is to share collections and expertise with audiences across the UK. Over the past two years it has included tours of objects such as the Queen of the Night and the Throne of Weapons, and exhibitions such as Buried Treasure and Across the Board.

Related web pages:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4155486.stm
http://www.unc.edu/awmc/moorlandspatera.html