So you've found a Stone Age artefact. Congratulations! What do you do next? Find out in our guide.
Go into any museum and you're not just looking at artefacts from history. You're also looking at countless individual stories – the stories of the people who discovered them.
Sometimes, these objects will have been searched for at great length. Some will have been stolen. And some will have been stumbled on by sheer accident.
Yes, it's not impossible that you or anyone could find an artefact, whether out using your metal detector or simply going for a stroll. If you do, you'll doubtless feel lots of different emotions: excitement. Curiosity. Maybe even disbelief. But you might also wonder what on Earth you're supposed to do with the thing.
Whatever you do, the main thing to remember is that historical artefacts are worth preserving for their own sake. Each one is another piece of the puzzle for geologists, historians and other academics. They also provide great pleasure to the public.
Don't destroy it!
In 2023, 52-year-old Julian Baker from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, filmed himself digging up – and damaging – a 4,500-year-old Stone Age monument on Eglwysilan mountain. For unknown reasons, he posted the video to Facebook. As punishment, he was fined £4,400 – money that went into restoring the monument.
This is extreme behaviour, of course, and we don't think it's behaviour you would consider appropriate. But it's worth keeping in mind simply as an example of the importance of protecting artefacts.
Don't destroy it – sure. But also, think twice before you handle it. Nine times out of 10, it's best to leave it where you found it. This is because archaeologists have procedures in place and tools in hand to ensure artefacts are transported safely. Forgo these and you could end up damaging the object.
Your best bet is to notify a local expert or authority as soon as possible. But before you do that, make a note of exactly when and where you found it. You never know – one day a museum might need that information!
Find and contact your local archaeological society
No matter how excited you are by your findings, chances are you'll need an expert to identify and authenticate them.
There's a vibrant community of archaeologists around the UK. Find your local society and let them know about your discovery. They'll be able to take a look and ascertain when it's from and whether it should be in a museum.
Again, it's a good idea to leave your artefact where you found it. Your local archaeologist will be able to handle it with care and ensure that it's not damaged in the process.
What should you do if you find treasure?
Finding an artefact is one thing – but what about finding treasure?
Your first move should be to check if it qualifies as treasure. This is outlined by the
Portable Antiquities Scheme.
If it's treasure, the government
says that you must report it to a coroner for the district in which you found it. This should happen within 14 days of the date you found the treasure or within 14 days of the date when you realised that what you had found was treasure.
If you're not sure that it's treasure, you can contact your local finds liaison officer at the Portable Antiquities Scheme. They can shed light on your findings and even report them to the coroner on your behalf.
And if it's not treasure, well, better luck next time!
What artefacts can I see at Stump Cross Caverns?
Stump Cross Caverns has been around for over 500,000 years – so it'll come as no surprise when we tell you that it's a site of artefacts as well as gorgeous rock formations.
Take the piece of flint that was unearthed by members of the Craven Pothole Club in the summer of 2021. It's believed to be over 13,000 years old and is likely to have been the fragment of a tool.
Diggers and explorers have also uncovered a range of animal remains. When the caves were discovered in 1860, the Newbould brothers found four reindeer fossils and what could have been the skeleton of an unborn reindeer.
Fast forward to 1922, and Cambridge student Christopher Long found the prehistoric remains of reindeer and wolverines.
Then, in the 1980s, cavers found a wolverine skull. It's incredible to think that wolverines were once a common sight in the Yorkshire Dales. We don't know exactly what the wolverines were up to in the caves – but chances are that the remains were washed below the surface of the Dales in the last Ice Age.
When you visit us, see if you can spot a replica of the skull in our visitor centre. It's one of the caves' many contributions to our knowledge of the area's prehistoric past.
Where can you see Stone Age artefacts in the UK?
The UK is rich in Stone Age artefacts, with collections all around the country. You can find a comprehensive list
here.
In London, you can visit collections in the Museum of London, the British Museum and the Horniman Museum. Further south, there's the Bristol Museum, Tunbridge Wells Museum and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (with a staggering 350,000 stone tools from nearby gravel pits).
One of the great things about prehistoric artefacts is that they can be enjoyed by people of all ages and interest levels. Some exhibitions include interactive experiences for children. Others are more drily historical but no less fascinating. We hope you enjoy exploring this rich seam of British history!
Final thoughts
The British Isles are full of Stone Age goodies waiting to be unearthed. Whether you're actively looking for artefacts or have simply stumbled on an object of interest, handle it with care and let your local archaeological society know about your discovery. It could be something special!
Know a little paleontologist-in-the-making? Why not sign up for an
interactive fossil dig at Stump Cross Caverns? Kids will learn fascinating facts about the ancient history of the Yorkshire Dales and can dig for real fossils they can take home and keep. It's easy to
book online.
