Thursday, June 16, 2016

6/16/16 Report - Treasure Salvors Inc. Versus Unidentified Wreck. Gaulcross Silver Hoard. Irresponsible Detecting and Lessons From Orlando.



Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.


More than 170 years ago, Scottish laborers clearing a rocky field with dynamite discovered three beautiful silver artifacts: a hand pin, a chain and a spiral bangle. But instead of looking for more treasures, they followed orders to turn the field into farmland, squashing hopes of archaeologists for years to come.


Recently, however, archaeologists surveyed the field and uncovered a hoard of 100 silver items, including coins, and pieces of brooches and bracelets, all dating to late Roman times, during the fourth or fifth centuries AD, according to a new report of the find, which is now called the Gaulcross hoard. (In archaeology, a "hoard" is a group of valuable objects that is sometimes purposely buried underground.)...

Here is the link.



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This week has been a terrible week for Orlando.  Both man and nature took lives.  First and foremost I want to express my sorrow and sympathies to all involved in the Orlando tragedies.

Some people thought there should be signs warning about the danger of alligators at Disney.  Maybe there should be, but I don't feel that way.  I heard there were something like 23 deaths to gators in Florida in 70 years.  That doesn't seem like many, even though one would be enough.

I nearly stepped on a gator once when I was out on a hunt.  He was submerged in sea weed.  It gave me quite a start when he suddenly thrashed about.  Gators are not unusual in Florida, and you always need to be aware of snakes and things.

Disney would undoubtedly be held liable for what happened, but do you know who owns the water and controls the submerged lands at Disney World?  If you know the laws that relate to metal detecting, you know it is the State of Florida - not Disney.  But the state, unlike Disney, is immune to legal responsibility.

(Here is the link for the Submerged Lands Act.  http://www.boem.gov/uploadedfiles/submergedla.pdf)

Disney, like many others that could potentially be liable for something similar, will undoubtedly take action to further protect their guests and themselves.  There will be more signs and more prohibited areas. No one will want to take a chance on being even remotely responsible for such a terrible event, no matter how rare or unlikely that event might be.

The next time you are disappointed by a no trespassing sign or are not allowed to go into the water or do something else, think about what happened.   Maybe that sign or prohibition is the result of some unfortunate event, big or small.  You might think it is unfair or unnecessary, and it might be, but that is what happens.

My position is that sometimes things just happen in life, and no one is to blame.  The more you try to make other people liable, the more they will have to protect themselves.  There are usually reasons for things, whether you know what that reason is or not.

The family that lost a child at Disney was not doing anything irresponsible.  That was just nature being nature.  It could have been a meteor falling on someone's head.  But irresponsible detecting will cause more signs to go up and more areas to be off-limits.

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Here is another interesting and important piece of treasure history - TREASURE SALVORS, INC. versus The UNIDENTIFIED WRECKED AND ABANDONED SAILING VESSEL.  It presents court findings related to the Atocha.  Looking at these legal cases, will give you a better understanding of the relevant laws and how they got to be the way they are.

Here is the link.

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On the Treasure Coast we still have a smooth surf.  That might change late Sunday or Monday.  The surf is predicted to pick up to 4 - 6 feet then.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net