Category: South East TV
Date: 05.09.2005
Printable version
Nighthawks - Inside Out, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ ONE South East, Monday 5 September, 7.30pm
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ ONE's Inside Out programme (South East edition) uncovers a suspected ancient golden cup, which could be only the third of its kind ever found in the UK, in this 30-minute special tonight (Monday 5 September) at 7.30pm.
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The amazing find is part on an investigation into the murky world of illegal treasure hunters who plunder archaeological sites around the UK.
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For the past five months, Inside Out has been investigating these illegal treasure hunters and while doing their research uncovered what appears to be the evidence of an ancient golden cup.
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If authenticated it could be worth in excess of Β£250,000.
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Only two Bronze Age gold cups have ever been found in the UK. The Ringlemere Gold Cup was unearthed in a field in Kent in 2002. It is on display next to the Rillaton Gold Cup at the British Museum, which was found in Cornwall in 1837 and is listed as one of Britain's top ten treasures.
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On Thursday 18 August - and following lengthy negotiation with a gang of illegal treasure hunters - Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Inside Out took possession of a gold handle believed to be from a third Bronze Age cup buried somewhere in Kent.
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The story of how it was handed over to the police via the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ will be revealed to the viewers in this 30-minute documentary into the dark world of criminals who will stop at nothing to raid archaeological sites.
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Dr Paul Wilkinson of the Kent Archaeological Field School witnessed the 'handover' in a field just outside Tunbridge Wells.
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He said: "Artefacts like this are being dug up by unscrupulous people all around the UK, who are selling them on for profit.
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"We are lucky to receive this golden handle for authentication as most of the people engaged in "nighthawking" do not realise their value to the nation and archaeological research.
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"It's such a shame that valuable pieces which could contribute to our knowledge of ancient peoples are being lost, and historical sites desecrated, sometimes for the sake of a few pounds."
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The film shows a masked man agreeing to hand over the golden handle he claims to have dug up somewhere in the county so it can be authenticated by experts at the British Museum.
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His aim is simple: after two years trying to secretly locate the rest of the cup with his metal detector he's given up and now seeks immunity from prosecution so he can legitimately work on the land with archaeologists to find the treasure and claim his reward.
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During the programme, Inside Out talks to archaeologists whose sites are regularly being plundered, to the police tasked with tackling the problem and investigates the 'Nighthawks' responsible.
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Notes to Editors
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What is a 'Nighthawk'?
'Nighthawking' is a term attributed to people who trespass on archaeological sites and farmland with the sole intention of removing any historical artefacts they can find. The offences involved are theft, trespass and contravention of The Treasure Act.
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What is the law relating to this type of crime?
The Treasure Act states that anyone who finds what is deemed treasure has 14 days to disclose it and the exact location it was found to the Coroner. Failure to do this can result in prosecution. All registered treasure is logged by a Finds Liaison Officer from the Government's Portable Antiquity Scheme based in London but with officers in every English region.
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This is a regional opt-out programme for the South East. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ South East Today can be found on satellite channel 953 across the UK.
