« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
5. THE TREASURE TROVE PROCESS - CHANCE FINDS (Fig. 2)
5.1 The process by which chance finds of portable antiquities are dealt with under the Treasure Trove system is summarized in Figure 2. This section expands upon the flow-chart and provides a definitive step-by-step account. The responsibilities of the parties involved and the mechanisms for achieving the steps are considered in subsequent sections of the Code.
5.2 Whenever a chance find of a portable antiquity is made the item or items recovered are required, within one month of initial discovery, to be reported to the TTU (see Appendix C). Delays in reporting a find will affect any ex gratia payment.
5.3 Normally it will be necessary for the item to come to the TTU, which will retain it in safe storage until its future is determined. The TTU will liaise with the finder and/or reporter regarding delivery. Reporting may be assisted, where circumstances permit, through a regional/local museum or a Local Authority archaeological service.
5.4 The TTU will assess all received finds of portable antiquities and determine their significance, leading either to a recommendation to the QLTR to claim, or to a decision on delegated authority from the QLTR to unclaim.
5.5 If the portable antiquity is unclaimed, it will be returned to the finder (or in some cases the reporter). The TTU will issue a certificate to the finder for each unclaimed item or group of items (see Appendix D).
5.6 If a find is to be recommended for claiming, the TTU may contact the finder to establish further details of the findspot and the circumstances of finding. Withholding information about a find or improper treatment of it will affect any ex gratia payment.
5.7 The TTU passes the recommendation to claim a find to the QLTR, who formalizes the claim by allocating a case number, and notifies the finder and the TTU that the find has been claimed. At this stage the finder is invited by the QLTR to provide any available evidence relevant to valuation of the claimed item.
5.8 The TTU undertakes further research and consultation on the claimed item, including arriving at a guideline valuation.
5.9 The TTU advertises the claimed item to the museum sector and invites museums to submit standard applications for allocation. Museums will be notified if claimed items require additional conservation before they can be transported.
5.10 If multiple standard applications are received, these will be exchanged by the TTU between the submitters, who are given the option of submitting revised applications.
5.11SAFAP considers current claimed items at its regular meetings. Normally all the claimed items being considered (other than excavation assemblages) will be available for SAFAP to inspect. SAFAP deliberates and arrives at its recommendations to the QLTR for allocations and ex gratia payments.
5.12 The TTU advises the relevant museum of SAFAP's recommendations and requests confirmation that the museum still seeks the allocation.
5.13 After SAFAP has considered multiple applications for a claimed item, the TTU will inform the museums involved of what SAFAP is minded to recommend to the QLTR. It will request confirmation of the museums' agreement or disagreement with this outcome. If there is a disagreement, the case will be deferred for reconsideration at SAFAP's next meeting, and the museums involved will be invited to submit further details. These further details are not exchanged between museums by the TTU.
5.14 The TTU advises the QLTR of SAFAP's recommendations.
5.15 If for any reason the QLTR decides to reject a SAFAP recommendation, the case is referred back to the next meeting of the Panel for reconsideration (this is rare).
5.16 If the QLTR decides to accept SAFAP's recommendation then the recipient museum is requested by the QLTR to forward the full amount of the ex gratia payment.
5.17 On receipt of the museum's payment, the QLTR sends the ex gratia payment and a certificate to the finder (see Appendix E), and notifies the TTU to close the case.
5.18 The recipient museum collects the find from the TTU and accessions it into its collection.
5.19 The process from initial reporting to allocation to a museum and completion of any ex gratia payment to a finder will normally be completed within 12 months.
5.20 If for any reason no museum has expressed interest in acquiring a claimed item, the QLTR may, on SAFAP's recommendation, disclaim the find and it will be returned to the finder.
Fig. 2: Treasure Trove process flow-chart: chance finds
Abbreviations
TTU: Treasure Trove Unit
QLTR: Queen's & Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
SAFAP: Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel
NFA: National Fund for Acquisitions
Fig. 3. Treasure Trove process flow-chart: assemblages from organized archaeological fieldwork (n.b. there are slightly divergent pathways for assemblages depending on whether or not they derive from projects sponsored by Historic Scotland)
Abbreviations
TTU: Treasure Trove Unit
QLTR: Queen's & Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
SAFAP: Scottish Archaeological Finds Allocation Panel
DSR: Data Structure Report
« Previous | Contents | Next »