Digging into Ownership: A New Archaeological Toolkit

Exciting news for the archaeology community! On January 9th, the Collection Trust and Historic England launched consultation for the Toolkit for Managing the Ownership of Archaeology Finds in England. This aims to streamline the often-challenging process (that’s putting it mildly!) of transferring archaeological artefacts from landowners to museums.

As someone who has dedicated their career to commercial archaeology, I’ve witnessed firsthand the hurdles and hoops of securing Transfer of Title (ToT). The challenges are numerous – from navigating through layers of land agents and consultants to track down property owners, to dealing with cases where landowners have moved or passed away.

Jasmine microexcavating a Late Bronze Age pot.

This toolkit feels like a breath of fresh, hopeful air, particularly because it offers useful and practical guidance on handling situations where landowner consent proves elusive or even impossible.

The toolkit covers ownership principles and transfer procedures. Currently, in a nine-month consultation period, feedback is welcomed from industry professionals about their experiences implementing these guidelines. Speaking from my own experience, it has already been useful in helping me better understand the intricacies of ownership transfer.

I’m particularly optimistic about how this toolkit could transform museum deposition practices. It feels like a significant step forward in addressing long-standing challenges in archaeological archiving, and I am really encouraged to see such practical solutions being developed.

How exciting to be part of this positive change in archaeological practice! I look forward to seeing how this toolkit shapes the future of museum deposition, speeds up processes and helps streamline our work.