To be unexpectedly asked by Minelab to be a contributor to their Blog section, was both a surprise and also a real honour. So firstly I would like to say hello to all Blog readers from Hertfordshire in the UK. Being a rather diverse metal detectorist I love everything metallic from finding Celtic coins to tracking down the crash sites and excavating the wreckage of World War Two aeroplanes, so it might appear easy to write something... but crikey where does one start? What would like minded individuals wish to read and expect? Well I have such a large spread of topics that could be of interest, I need some time to consider what order to position them so this first blog is simply a “Hello” with a sprinkling of hints regarding “things to come”.
I have metal detected in Jordan and found ancient coins and even a buried Ottoman soldiers uniform from around 1918. Once I even organised an archaeological excavation of a crashed Zeppelin finding a burned button from one of the officers who had been on board.
Metal detecting is something that offers each individual the opportunity to find, see and handle wonderful things from many ages that otherwise would remain unfound, unstudied, and unrecorded. It can also create incredible situations and experiences for example this summer I have a lady flying over from the USA, whose father was killed in a B17 bomber crash. Using metal detectors we have found the crash site and due to incredibly detailed plotting of finds over 20 year period we can show her almost exactly where her father lost his life.
Also this summer I’m involved with searching and recording a lost German and Italian prisoner of war camp, and another associate wants me to look at some fields where he has found many World War One dating German silver coins and army fittings.... not in Europe, but here in the UK.
I feel metal detecting finds unknown history, re-writes established theories and unearths the true thrill of passion when contributing such things to people who are interested.
Is detecting simply a passion or is it an obsession for me? Well over the coming months perhaps hopefully both readers and other blog contributors will be able to make their own minds up. It is a true honour for me to be able to handle history both as an individual and to share it, and I know that it will be another honour to be able to share it further via this blog.
Julian Evan-Hart
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