The first official illustrated book celebrating the astonishing objects found by ordinary people that have transformed British archaeology. Britain has a rich history, with incredible archaeology. New finds are made every day that transform our understanding of the past. Remarkably, many are not from professional archaeologists, but from ordinary members of the public. Some are chance discoveries in back gardens and construction sites, but most are found by the thousands of hobbyist field-walkers, mudlarks and metal-detectorists who scour Britain's countryside and waterways looking for artefacts. This democratic, 'crowd-sourced' archaeology has become increasingly important over the past twenty years thanks to the popularity of metal detectors and a revolution in how public finds are recorded in England and Wales. Operated by the British Museum since 2007, the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) now liaises with the public, particularly the metal-detecting community, encouraging them to report finds to local archaeologists and record them on a national database.This book is a celebration of public involvement in archaeology and the ground-breaking work of the PAS.

Opening with a preface by Mackenzie Crook, star and writer of the popular television series Detectorists , it tells the incredible stories of more than fifty compelling treasures, the people who found them and how they are reshaping our understanding of British history - from the 3,500-year-old Ringlemere Cup to the Anglo-Saxon Staffordshire Hoard and a 16th-century gold pendant with the initials of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The words of the finders and archaeologists convey the excitement of discovery as they explore the historical significance of each spectacular object. A primer gives advice on hobbyist best practice and how to report and identify your own finds.