Treasure hunting

Since the popularization of metal detectors in the 1970s, treasure hunting has also taken the form of beach combing for lost valuables. Beach hunters may search for modern jewelry, pocket change, or shipwreck treasure. Most metal detectors will fall in the $150–$600 price range, but can even cost upwards of several thousand dollars. Metal detecting is generally quite tedious and most enthusiasts go years without finding an actually valuable object. Metal detectors are quite useful to archaeologists as well. On terrestrial sites they give researchers the ability to scan large swathes of land for important artifacts without having to consume time and resources excavating large holes. Skilled amateur archaeologists are also able to assist professionals by using their metal detectors to discover previously unknown sites. For example, in the United Kingdom, many discoveries have been made by metal detectorists that have had a large impact on the understanding of early British history.

History

In the 12th century text Account of Egypt, Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi wrote about the historic value of the Egyptian monuments, and praised the contemporary governments for trying to preserve them. He also discussed the profession of treasure hunting, noting that poorer treasure hunters were often sponsored by rich businessmen to go on archeological expeditions. In some cases, an expedition could turn out to be fraudulent, with the treasure hunter disappearing with large amounts of money extracted from sponsors.

The early stages of the development of archaeology included a significant aspect of treasure hunting; Heinrich Schliemann's excavations at Troy, and later at Mycenae, both turned up significant finds of golden artifacts. Early work in Egyptology also included a similar motive. Modern amateur treasure hunters use relatively inexpensive metal detectors to locate finds at terrestrial sites.

Underwater archaeologist, Peter Throckmorton, in a paper he wrote in 1969 as part of a Historical Archaeology Forum on E. Lee Spence's salvage of a Civil War blockade runner, addressing the question of whether treasure hunting and archaeology are in conflict, stated: "The foregoing discussion may seem like an attack on Mr. Spence. I do not mean this to be so. A whole new branch of archaeology, that of Mycenaean studies, was founded by Heinrich Schliemann, who also had the courage to remember his dreams ... It is right to dream, and it would be the worst kind of mistake on the part of the state to discourage the big dreams of men like Mr. Spence, and to let a project requiring that sort of enterprise fall into the hands of what Mr. Spence's friend terms 'some bloody historical society' which might lay the dead hand of unimaginative and stereotyped thinking on Mr. Spence's courage and ability." In 1972, Spence and Throckmorton, along with three other men, were awarded the degree of Doctor of Marine Histories by the College of Marine Arts on July 16, 1972, becoming first people in the world to be awarded a doctorate for work in marine archaeology.

More recently, some treasure hunters have started working underwater, where modern technology allows access to wrecks containing valuables, which were previously inaccessible. Starting with the diving suit, the Scuba, and later to ROVs, each new generation of technology has made wrecks better accessible. Many of these wrecks have resulted in the treasure salvage of many artifacts from Spanish treasure fleets and others.

Since at least the 1970’s, treasure salvaging companies have been hiring archaeologists to help excavate sites. Although oftentimes the people with the most knowledge about a particular site are the private citizens staking their fortunes on the venture, a staff archeologist can substantiate a dig. This can allow the excavations to become accepted within the archeological community. In many cases, however, private citizens conducting archaeological deemed activities with or without an on site archeologist are still labeled by the academic community as pillagers. And the archeologists who support this public-private venture are often outcast.

Nevertheless, when this type of archaeological research is carried out it can provide archaeologists the resources to fund research of sites that would otherwise go unrecorded or be subject to destruction by natural forces. Typically many recovered items will also end up donated to state and local museums for all to enjoy. Some cities, such as St. Augustine and Key West have privately operated museums run by the treasure salvors which allow the public to see recovered treasure firsthand.