Portable Antiquities Scheme

The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a national partnership project which records archaeological objects (300 years and older) found by the public in order to advance our understanding of the past. The database can be accessed at www.finds.org.uk.

The PAS aims to:

Promote the maximum public interest and benefit from the recovery, recording and research of portable antiquities;
Promote best practice by finders/landowners and archaeologists/museums in the discovery, recording, and conservation of finds made by the public;
Work in partnership with museums and others to raise awareness among the public, including young people, of the educational value of recording archaeological finds in their context, and facilitate research in them;
Create partnerships between finders and archaeologists/museums to increase participation in archaeology and advance our understanding of the past;
Support the Treasure Act and increase opportunities for museums to acquire archaeological finds for public benefit.

In order to achieve these aims, the PAS employs a network of Finds Liaison Officers (FLOs) across the country who are based with regional Host Organisations. The Northamptonshire post is hosted by Northamptonshire County Council.

These FLOs take submissions of archaeological objects, including treasure, and record them on the PAS database.

The Treasure Act (1996) stipulates that:

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, all finders of gold and silver objects, and groups of coins from the same finds, over 300 years old, have a legal obligation to report such items under the Treasure Act 1996.

Prehistoric base-metal assemblages found after 1st January 2003 also qualify as Treasure. You can report an item of potential Treasure to your local FLO.