Link to Wartime Indian Mules?

"Out metal detecting on his family’s croft recently, Donald Matheson of Inverasdale, and Wester Ross, came across some items which may hold the clue to a WWII mystery.

He unearthed a series of curved pieces of metal and one by one has pieced them together – and realized that they are in fact tiny horseshoes. Thinking they possibly belonged to Shetland ponies as they were so small, he took them to a local retired blacksmith who instantly referred to them as belonging to the ‘wartime Indian mules’.

When he was younger, Donald had heard stories of an Indian soldier’s camp being in the Loch Ewe area during the war – but no one seemed to be able to establish the truth. So, with his exciting metal find, he is beginning to piece the story together with the help of those in the area who lived through the war."

Read more HERE.

FL Arkies Against 'American Diggers'

"'American Digger,' the TV show featuring a former pro wrestler and his team digging up historical treasures is entertainment, says the show’s spokeswoman.

'We don’t encourage any digging on federal or state lands,' said spokeswoman Shana Tepper for Spike TV, the producers of the show. 'It is only on private property' and done within the boundaries of the law, including the site in downtown St. Augustine that will be featured in an upcoming show.

'If you watch the show, you’ll see (host) Ric (Savage) going from door-to-door getting permission,' she added."

Read more HERE.

On a side note, at the end of the article it outlines many of the laws regarding our hobby in FL, in particular the St. Augustine area.

How do you feel about the ethics in the show and how they portray folks in the like-mind?

Roman "Cathouse" Token

"An amateur archeologist out walking along the River Thames with his metal detector discovered a rare and unique coin believed to be about 2,000 years old.

Regis Cursan, 37, discovered the long-hidden bronze token (described as 'spintria') in the mud near Putney Bridge, West London, at low tide. The spintria, believed by experts to be a token used in ancient Roman brothels, depicts two people in a sex act.

According to the Daily Mail, historians believe it is the first token of its type to be found in Britain."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Museum of London

UK Kids Dig Up Some History

"Children hunting for a missing horseshoe made an impressive discovery in their back paddock.

Sally and Andy White were amazed when the youngsters unearthed a brick well just 20cm below the surface. Christopher, James and Lucy made the discovery when they were using a metal detector with their friend Tara.

Andy, who lives in Primrose Lane in Arlesey and is also a town councillor, said: 'They were asked to go out into our paddock and find, with a metal detector, a horseshoe for the farrier to refit.'"

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Bigglewade Chronicle

Saving Blair Mountain History

"On a warm day in West Virginia, Kenny King is on his hands and knees, digging in the dirt. He's near the peak of Blair Mountain, searching for buried artifacts from a little-known battle that took place 90 years ago this month.


'It is a unique part of American history,' King says, waving his metal detector over a hole in the ground. 'No where else can you find an actual battlefield that is as big and extensive as maybe a World War I battlefield.'

King, both prospector and amateur archeologist, is known locally as an expert on the infamous Battle of Blair Mountain, which unfolded over 10 days in 1921."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: CNN

UK Beach Coughs Up WWI Medal

"A metal detector enthusiast is appealing for the family of a First World War serviceman to come forward after unearthing his medal on a beach.

Tom Neesam found a solid silver medal on Seaton Carew beach while out using his metal detector.

It belonged to Robert Henry Pollard, who was born in Hartlepool in 1886 and went on to receive three other war medals."

 Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Peterlee Mail

Finding Old Loot in PA

"Red Craft and Harry Niemeyer don’t have to dig deep to find out what makes them happy, but they will.

It’s money — not making it, finding it.

The retirees spend countless hours searching for silver and gold coins, copper pennies or a valued piece of jewelry someone lost yesterday, decades or centuries ago. Mostly, they find bottle cups, pull tabs from cans, copper clad pennies, junk."

Read mroe HERE.

Image Credits: Lucy Shaly / Beaver County Times

Last Battle of The Indian Territory

"The Battle of Turkey Springs was the final battle between Cheyenne Indians and the U.S. Cavalry in Oklahoma Territory, when a group of northern Cheyenne led by Chief Dull Knife, left their reservation. It is believed to be the last battle between Cheyenne Indians and the Army fought in Indian Territory.

The foes battled for two days on Sept. 13 and 14, 1878, as the Cheyenne fled north attempting to return to their home. The site has been marked with a monument that will be blessed June 24 by a group of Cheyenne-Arapaho, at the site of a monument to the engagement southeast of Freedom, in Woods County.

Bud Martin, owner of the property where the site is located, put the marker up about two years ago. Martin had never heard of the battle, but saw a newspaper from 1904 with the story of the battle and the location. The story mentioned several points of interest where the Indians traveled through, one of which was the property of S.D. Ferbraches, which Martin now owns."

Read more HERE.

King Arthur... Found!

This article is a Spoof/Satire, don't take it too serisouly... it's a fun read though.

"Deeply patriotic, anti foreigner, anti-immigration, anti Welsh, German detesting, pigeon loving, unemployed London taxi driver, Alfred Boulder, achieved his lifetime ambition yesterday when he finally tracked down King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

They were all alive and well. Sleeping in a deep hole near Blackburn, Lancashire.

Unmarried 53 year year old Boulder from Plaistow, has been meticulously criss-crossing Britain for over 30 years. Using a metal detector to discover the elusive resting place of Arthur and his Knights."

Read more HERE.

Uncovering the 55th Mass.

I had seen this video quite some time ago as a member of FMDF was involved with this find. It's an incredible story and I emplore you to take a look.

"Robert Bohrn had his 15 minutes of fame in the 1990s when CNN, “Good Morning America,” and PBS’s “The Collectors” reported on his Charleston, SC restaurant Moultrie Tavern, decorated with Bohm’s trove of Civil War artifacts and featuring Civil War period fare like game pie. But ironically, Bohrn’s stand-out achievement is as unknown as the black Civil War soldiers he and his friend Eric Croen raised from the Folly Beach earth in 1989.

“I became a Civil War relic hunter when I was 10. I bought my first metal detector when I was fourteen,” says the Charleston, SC native.

“If I had 10 lifetimes I would never find anything better then the 19 soldiers of the 55th Massachusetts,” Bohrn says."

Read more and see the video HERE.

Ticonderoga to Ban Hobby?

"It's been 12 years since Ticonderoga tried to restrict use of personal metal detectors.

Now, concerned that treasure-hunters may flock to the community rich in 18th-century history, town officials are going to try again.

The town has scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Thursday in the Ticonderoga Community Building on a proposed local law to ban the use of metal detectors on public property in the town."

JUNE 20th UPDATE: It was voted NOT to ban the use of metal detectors. They may still be used for surface finds, and NO digging is allowed.

Read more HERE.
Another article HERE.

Image Credits: Town of Ticonderoga

Uncovering Civil War Family History

"Walter D. Hodgson of Mercer County, Ill., joined the 124th Illinois Infantry at the age of 15 and went off to fight to preserve the Union during the Civil War.

About 100 years later, two of his great-grandsons, Don Finch of Bettendorf and his brother, Harry, packed up their metal detectors and set off to retrace their ancestor's steps through American history.

Don Finch estimates he has visited 80 percent of the Civil War battlefields.

'I got following everybody else's great-grandfather, too,' he said with a laugh."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: Larry Fisher / QUAD-CITY TIMES

40 Years Finding What's Under Foot

"Dale Chapman has found that his metal-detecting hobby gets him out in the fresh air, gives him a little exercise and offers a return on his investment.

After four decades of metal-hunting, he is on his third detector, one that has more ways to indicate what lies beneath his feet. He can set the gadget to indicate coins, jewelry or relics.

'Silver dollars are always nice to get,' Chapman said."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: Sam Yu / Frederick News Post

Canadian Hobbyist and His Treasures

"Broken pottery.

That's the secret to hunting 150-year-old historic artifacts, according to Steve Miles, a retired plumbing teacher who has dug up a lot of London and area history over the past 15 years.

'When you're looking for history, you look for pottery shards,' Miles said. 'The more you see, the better your (spot) is. They last forever. They look just as good as they day they were broken or dropped. It's one of the only things they threw out and is still there.'"

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: Chris Montanini / The Londoner

WWII Dogtags Uncovered and Returned

"Evan Yeoman of Lewiston was cruising Demolay Park overlooking the Snake River with his new metal detector when it pinged, telling him there was a penny about 10 inches down.

It was the depth that was intriguing, Yeoman said. 'That's how I judge how long a thing's been setting there — how deep it is.'

He remembers thinking as he stuck his knife into the ground that..."

Read more HERE.

Photo Credits: AP Photo/Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston Tribune

William Clark Canoe Camp

"River crossings and lousy weather didn’t dampen the spirits of an intrepid corps of Montana State University Billings students searching for traces of William Clark along the Yellowstone River.

The students in history professor Tom Rust’s Historical Archaeology in the Americas class have been hunting for the camp where Clark and his band of explorers stopped for five nights in July 1806 to make canoes from lofty cottonwood trees along the banks.

On a recent wet, chilly day, seven students and Rust crossed a short stretch of the Yellowstone to a privately owned island in search of Clark’s canoe camp."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: David Grubbs / Billings Gazette

King Richard's Knight

"...

The silver boar badge was dropped in the mud more than 500 years ago by a knight who fought alongside King Richard III, historians believe.

The white boar was the king's personal emblem and silver gilt boars were made for his knights and nobles.

The emblem will be independently valued by a committee of experts."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: BBC

30yr Old MD Find Gets Returned

"A piece of Mason City history has been returned after being found more than 30 years ago in southern Iowa.

R.J. Piatt of Glenwood, Mo., found a police commissioner lapel pin belonging to a Mason City man named S.A. Koch while prospecting with a metal detector at a home in Ottumwa sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s.

Historical documents list Koch as a Mason City councilman in 1919-21."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: Jeff Heinz / The Globe Gazette

Towton Dig to Put Off UK Hobbyists

"...

The first stage of the dig has secured funding and can now go ahead since the archaeologists made an agreement with the landowners and local authority over protection for the site.

For the first time, the agreement makes it illegal for unauthorised treasure hunters to go on the battlefield site with a metal detector because of the problems of them removing artefacts without recording the findings. It includes incentives for landowners to deter poachers and flytippers."

Read more HERE.

Military Medals Returned

"Telve years ago, medals bestowed on a war hero and distinguished police commander were stolen from his family’s Oxfordshire cottage.

But this weekend they were returned to their rightful home after being discovered in a farmer’s field just 20 yards from the house they were taken from.

The honours, eight in total including the OBE, the King’s Police and Fire Services Medal and the World War I British War medal, were unearthed by two metal detector enthusiasts on a bleak Sunday afternoon in January."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: Oxford Mail