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How do I report an archaeological find?

If you have found something that you think might be a cultural heritage object dating back to before 1537, or a pre-1650 coin, you have a duty to report your find. The State is the owner of all such cultural heritage objects.

The state owns cultural heritage objects which date back to ancient times and the Middle Ages

The State is the owner of so-called tangible cultural heritage objects from antiquity and the Middle Ages, i.e. cultural heritage objects that date back to before 1537, and coins that date back to before 1650 cf. the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Act of 9 June 1978 (only available in Norwegian). For example, cultural heritage objects might include weapons, tools, jewellery, skeletons, runic inscriptions, coins or church inventory.

Reporting archaeological finds

If you find a tangible cultural heritage object you have a duty to report your find to the county council’s Cultural Heritage Protection Office. It is illegal to sell antiquities in Norway.

Go to the Discovery Form to report findings

Please note that the Discovery Form is only available in Norwegian.

Some of the items on the Discovery Form are explained below: 

  • Askeladden (Ash Lad) ID: The county council allocates and enters your ID on the Discovery Form.
  • Submission date: The date on which the find was reported to the county council.
  • Enter the location of your find, based on a fixed point in the terrain: details about such points are often lacking. You should be able to find your way back to the place, even if you have never been there, and potentially without using GPS. Therefore, you must be able to state as accurately as possible where the find is located, based on a fixed point/landmark (e.g. “The settlement is located 30 m west of the north-western corner of the barn at Stubberud (24/3) and 65 m south east of the electricity pylon between Stubberud and Torp (24/9)”. Or: "The find was made 10 m south of the farmhouse at Bakken (15/5) and 45 m south west of the crossroads between the farm road running up to the farm and highway 7.
  • Coordinates, measuring method and attachments with marked maps: the coordinates must be entered on the form. It is not enough to just enter your Askeladden ID. The measurement method must be reported. It is not enough to simply write “Measurement method: unknown”. For example, has GPS has been used for measuring the coordinates in the field, or have they been recorded from a digital map in the office?  Marked maps showing the location of a find can be attached to serve as insurance against faulty registration.

Reporting metal detector finds

If you are a metal detectorist and wish to report a find, please refer to the Directorate of Cultural Heritage's website on metal detector searching (only available in Norwegian) and the Museum of Cultural History’s website on metal searching

The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage's Discovery Form for metal detector finds

Please note that the Discovery Form is only available in Norwegian.

The Discovery Form should be submitted with your find to the county council responsible for the area where your find was made. It is important that any objects handed in should be accompanied by detailed documentation. Lack of documentation is a major problem and if the documentation provided is inadequate to start with, it is very difficult to correct it subsequently.

The Discovery Form which should be used for finds made using a metal detector is divided into three parts. The first part should be filled in by whoever made the find and should contain information about the finder, the landowner, the object, the date of the find, the location of the find and the conditions relating to the find. The second part should be filled in by the county council who will enter the Askeladden ID and the date on which the find was reported. The third part should be filled in by the Museum of Cultural History who will enter the accession number, the C number and the case number.

Finder’s fee?

Section 13 of the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Act makes provision for a finder’s fee for finds of tangible cultural heritage objects. The amount of such finder’s fees is discretionary and is usually divided equally between the finder and the landowner when they are two different people.

The State is the owner of tangible cultural heritage objects and private individuals have a statutory duty to hand in any such finds to the authorities. A finder’s fee is a reward and cannot be considered to be an actual purchase.

In its capacity as the recipient of tangible cultural heritage objects that have been handed in, the Museum of Cultural History prepares recommendations about finder’s fees that are forwarded to the Directorate of Cultural Heritage. On the basis of such recommendation, the Directorate of Cultural Heritage adopts a final decision about whether or not a finder’s fee shall be paid and the amount of any such fees. The Directorate of Cultural Heritage then informs the finder, the landowner and the Museum of Cultural History about its decision and issues any payments.

If a finder’s fee is recommended, it is normally set at the value of the metal for gold and silver artefacts, plus an addition that shall be no less than 10% of the value of the metal. When special reasons apply, the Directorate of Cultural Heritage may determine a lower finder’s fee. The recommended finder’s fee can also be set higher than the value of the metal, e.g. the amount could be increased due to the state of preservation, the conditions relating to the find and the uniqueness of the artefact.

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Published May 28, 2022 1:35 PM - Last modified May 31, 2022 7:54 PM