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BY-NC-ND 3.0 license Open Access Published by De Gruyter Open Access August 12, 2016

“Professional Amateurs”. Metal Detecting and Metal Detectorists in Denmark

  • Andres S. Dobat and Astrid T. Jensen
From the journal Open Archaeology
An erratum for this article can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2016-0026

Abstract

From the beginning of metal-detector based archaeology practiced by members of the public, the formal heritage sector in Denmark determined to pursue a liberal model based on cooperation and inclusion rather than confrontation and criminalization. Based on the findings of the ‘2015 Danish detectorists survey’ it is argued that Danish metal-detector archaeology has challenged the classic division of roles in archaeology and heritage management, and that at least a large proportion of Danish detectorists practice their hobby adhering to the highest professional standards, which stand in sharp contrast to the often-cited stereotype of the detectorists as mere ‘treasure hunter’.

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Received: 2016-3-16
Accepted: 2016-6-10
Published Online: 2016-8-12

© 2016 Andres S. Dobat, Astrid T. Jensen

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

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