Treasure and the Portable Antiquities Scheme
Contact us
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0)20 7323 8611/8618
Write to us:
Portable Antiquities Scheme
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3DG
Please don't send any archaeological finds in the post.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a partnership project managed by the British Museum and Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales and records archaeological finds discovered by the public.
It plays a critical role in advancing knowledge, telling stories of past communities and furthering public interest in the past.
PAS works with over 100 national and local partners, and delivers through its network of 40 locally based Finds Liaison Officer posts, the PAS Central Unit (based at the British Museum), National Finds Advisers, interns and volunteers.
To date, nearly two million items have been recorded, from prehistoric-worked flint to post-medieval dress accessories. The vast majority have been found by everyday people by chance, most through metal detecting.
All the finds recorded by the Scheme are made publicly available on its online database and are helping to transform our understanding of Britain's past.
The British Museum manages the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and oversees the administration of the Treasure Act 1996 (both in England). We also host the secretariat for Treasure cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Reporting your finds
Research
All archaeological finds recorded by the PAS are accessible to all on the PAS online database. New finds are being added to the PAS database every day. This is an organic resource for researchers to use so we can better understand Britain's past.
This information is also shared with local (county-based) Historic Environment Records (HERs), which holds data on archaeological sites and monuments.
This data is an essential part of archaeological planning work and research in the UK, especially for those wishing to understand how objects were made and used in the past to further understand the historic landscape (such as how land was settled and used). PAS data is used in diverse ways.
Anyone wishing to have higher-level access to the data for research purposes may apply after registering for a database account. Once the application has been reviewed by the PAS research panel, applicants will be contacted with the outcome.
If you're using PAS data in research and your project isn't listed, please contact us at the British Museum and let us know. Otherwise, it's likely you're not benefitting from the support we can offer in terms of data access, advise on using the data and finds expertise.
History of the PAS
The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) was founded in response to the growth of metal detecting, the lack of provision to record these finds, and in the context of the reform of Treasure legislation.
In 1997, the Treasure Act 1996 came into force and with it new protection for archaeological finds.
Although archaeologists welcomed the reform of the law, they expressed concern that many significant items were not covered by the Act, especially those that were not precious metal.
As a result pilot 'schemes' for the voluntary recording of archaeological finds were set up in six areas. A further five posts and an Outreach Officer were established in 1999.
Funding
Thanks to support from what is now The National Lottery Heritage Fund the PAS was expanded to the whole of England and Wales in 2003, and thereafter (from 2006) funded by the DCMS.
In 2007 the management of the PAS transferred to the British Museum in England and Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales in Wales, and is now funded through grant-in-aid with local partner contributions.
Its network includes more than 40 locally based Finds Liaison Officer posts whose role it is to liaise with the public and record their discoveries on the PAS database.
