Archaeological finds not handed over to museums

Nearly a million and a half Northern Irish archaeological finds are still in the hands of the private companies that unearthed them. 

Archaeological excavation in Northern Ireland [Credit: Web]

They have not been passed on to museums and cannot be used in research or seen by the public. 

The objects, ranging from pottery and metalwork to human remains were uncovered when commercial companies dug up areas destined for new roads or buildings. 

These excavations are often made compulsory by the Planning Service. 

Since 1999, an estimated 1.47 million objects have been uncovered in Northern Ireland. 

However, because of a lack of facilities and question marks over who owns the items, the stockpile has remained with the private companies. 

This means the artefacts are not available for academic research or public display, and could be vulnerable to theft, decomposition or even dumping if the company concerned goes bankrupt. 

Source: 4NI [July 02, 2012]