Relic Hunting

[Teo]

I have some questions about relic hunting in various parts of Europe. Are there any laws preventing a foreigner from digging up war relics and returning to his home with them in another country? Also where can somebody find some great spots if it is not illeagal? Specifically where is the best place to look i.e. where a company was located or on the battlefield? And one more question, does Russia have lots of great "stuff" or is it the sattelite countries like Latvia, Estonia etc.

Is it frowned upon to dig the relics up?

Thanks and any info/maps are greatly appreciated! :flak_helm

[Chris B]

I guess there are relics and then there are relics. I think its one thing to pick up a piece of shrapnel or a shell casing, but quite another to start digging around in known battlefields. I think there are big issues with grave sites and the last resting place of the fallen and so on. A real touchy subject. Cheers, CB.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mike, metal detecting on a battlefield is ilegal in most Western European countries. In Holland it is even ilegal to transport a metal decector through the Arnhem battlefield area!
Not only that, it is I think, foolhardy too. WW1 & WWII munitions will still kill just as well even after all these years in the ground.
Is it really worth the risk for a relic condition item that could be safely bought from a show for a few £/$........ Not only that, but getting something "interesting" out through Customs in todays climate would be impossible too.
By all means field walk a battlefield, finds can still be made on the surface but be very careful. Do not pick up items that you do not recognise! Having said that, most places like Normandy etc are picked pretty clean.
Hope this answers some of your questions?
Cheers, Ade.

[Simon O.]

In Western Europe i'd pretty much forget anything other than field walking. Some real surprises do still turn up but they're getting fewer and fewer as the years pass. Over the last couple of years i've picked up bits and pieces lying on the surface in the South of France and Monte Cassino. Back home it's a slightly different matter and i often spend days out camping and looking around some of the old German positions (not a battlefield mind, just positions) best finds so far include a white camo single decal M40 helmet and the door from an infantry cart with the divisional insignia of the 6 Geb.Div. on it.

As for what happens in the East...... As far as i know you basically have two camps, the 'white' diggers, those who are responsible, seek permission and report the finding of human remains etc. and then you have the 'black' diggers who will trash an area looking for anything that can be sold (but that happens in all areas of archaeology and has been going on for thousands of years)

[Theodor]

Digging in old battlefields is a real fun - a friend from Germany showed me not long ago long lists of events - french villagers working on their farm /near old battlefiald/ - suddenly the tractor touhes an old chemical round... German relic-hunters detect for relics - ops... landmine....
Every year the WWI and WWII relic ammo takes its share of lives - relic hunters, villagers, road builders...
So keep im mind that the live ammo under there is much more than you can imagine Especially in Wetern Europe the WWI poison gas ammo burried in the battlefields and positions has become as corroded and as unstable as possible and just waiting for a slight touch for a poison f@rt

[mgarcia]

Relics

I agree with all the cautions here. The WWI Italian front is still a good area to surface-hunt - i have some interesting material sent to me from there.

I recommend some library research to see where the fighting took place in your area of interest. Books on particular campaigns & battles will have fairly detailed maps. Check the local laws where you're going as regards hunting & exporting relics.

For some reason the WWI Ostfront battlefields are relatively untouched even now. Possibly diggers there think WWII relics are more profitable.

The best time to surface hunt in most places is after the Spring or Fall rains wash away some soil & freshly expose more artifacts.