The document discusses the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), which records archaeological objects found by the public in England and Wales. It notes that over 449,359 objects have been recorded online in the PAS database over the past 7 years. It also describes ongoing research projects, a new database built in-house, and new functions that pull and link data from other sources to enhance the PAS records. The document demonstrates some of the new database's mapping and visualization capabilities. It concludes by announcing a new website launching in April at www.finds.org.uk.

1. Recording public archaeological discovery
in a democratic manner.
dpett@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

3. Objects by year
449,359 objects online @ 23:20 26/2/10 – 400K in 7 years!

4. Research in progress
23 PhDs - 3 based at UCL
6 AHRC projects - 1 at UCL
36 Masters
18 Undergraduates
12 internal
24 personal research
You could join these researchers - ask me
afterwards

5. All PAS records mapped using GIS

6. New database built in house
2 servers cost £7,000 Server consultancy cost £2,000 No other money spent

9. Enhanced geo data via flickr shapefiles
& Yahoo! geoplanet

10. Dots colours indicate workflow stage – green ones are fully verified.

13. Omphalos base and
indentations can be seen

14. New functions – data sourcing for
enhancement
Uses wide range of
3rd party data
sources
Extensive data
revisions
Linked data

17. If errors found
can feedback
and we get the
benefit. No
duplication of
efforts!

18. Draw in data from dbpedia
for reuse
Pull data from our database
and the BM collections online
to teach numismatics

19. Parliamentary data via Hansard

21. • Can find out if an MP or Peer has ever spoken
about archaeology
• Can find all archaeological monuments and
public discoveries in their constituency's
bounding box
• We can approach those who haven’t been
supportive of the Scheme or archaeology if their
area is highly productive
• We can raise our political profile!
• Any other heritage body can use this as a tool!

22. Guardian news articles about PAS
Create a searchable archive of stories

24. Rurality of coin distributions?
PhD student at the Institute
comparing static data from
PAS, HERs and coin hoard
reports to produce a
synthesised map to update
Richard Reece’s study of
Roman coin finds. This will
change our knowledge of
Roman Britain to a ruralised
landscape.

26. This is obviously Stonehenge, and no we don’t have any recorded metal
detector activity here. The above just demonstrates the Google Earth plugin on
our new database. If you’re interested this is WOEID 26351828 and is 87
metres above sea level.

27. Variety of formats to view
We can limit zoom interface Obfuscate the findspot

29. Flickr love

32. The end.
Visit our new website from 1st week in April
@ www.finds.org.uk
Contact me: dpett@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk