Last year I had the chance to assist archaeologists on a Roman settlement in Belgium. This is the first time the collaboration between detectorists and archaeologists has happened on such a scale in Belgium, we hoped from the beginning the value of having metal detectorists on board will be realised and open the door for other detectorists to participate in this type of amazing experience in the future. The detector I have used is my trusty Minelab Equinox 800, with both 15" and 11" coils. It has been a big learning curve. You soon realise the importance of multi-IQ, and the ability to sniff out good targets from the iron infested ground in such sites. Over my time on the settlement together with my search partner Leo, we have made over 500 finds in context. I have really managed to dial in the Equinox, being able to pick out the finest pieces of bronze and fibulas that have been undetectable by other detectors. Our time and efforts have all been voluntary, all finds are recorded and handed over to the archaeological organisation. We do it for the love of saving items which can change the history of the site as they are found in situ and context. They can provide information and assist the results of the archaeologists. We also love the fact they have put on tours of the site with our finds on display for the general public and school children to learn the amazing history on their doorstep. The site is closing down now and will soon be built upon, all traces of Roman occupation lost forever, except for the research and our finds! Now to my find. I had been searching all morning, I had not really found much at all. Maybe one coin and some pieces of Roman lead. It was a real slow day. Then the excavator had just dug out a Roman trace in the ground. I went over the clayey ground he had just dumped on the side and I hit a target. After locating the item with my pin pointer, I popped it into a small plastic bag zip bag, so far it looked like a piece of lead. The excavator had just dumped some more ground, I had a small amount of time to get back searching before potential targets were lost forever. After getting back home, I had some time to investigate my finds. The first few pieces were indeed lead. I started to lightly clean the item in question, the whitish lead appearance started to come away and a unique shape started to appear. I was astonished to see It was indeed a Roman fibula, a shape I had never seen before, a type of Lozenge double shield type design. I noticed it had a silver coating over a bronze core on the face of the fibula. Suddenly I notice something truly remarkable, I saw letters that had been hand punched into the bronze by the use of dots. I could not believe it! I immediately took some photographs and posted them to the archaeologists associated to the site. Straight away it was apparent this was a very special find. After some deliberation they have come to the conclusion the fibula belong to a soldier from a vexillation (task force) of the 5th Roman legion. This is ground-breaking, not only for the site where it has been said there were no military connections, but also for Belgium as never been any mention or evidence found to suggest a Vexillation unit of the 5th Legion had ever visited or been stationed in Belgium. With the help of my Minelab Equinox 800, I could well have rewritten history and the understanding of the settlement. I would like to thank Minelab and the official Minelab distributor of Benelux: Detectiespecialist D.J. Laan, who kindly sponsored us with the use of a Minelab CTX 3030 for part of the excavation.
Colin AShcroft - Europe
