Icelandic National heritage agency !

[Siggi Palma]

Hey everyone,

As some of you know from a post I made the National heritage act is pretty strict. In it it´s said that I can not use a MD to look for national treasure. What is strange about the law is that it does not state when you are considered to be looking for one. Just to make sure after reading the law and going over the sites that are considered a national tresure and are off limits. I gave the National heritage agency a call.

The first thing the man told me was that it was against the law to own a MD. I corrected him and told him that its not. I can own one and its ok to import one. I explained that I knew about the law and would like to get more detail so I wouldnt be breaking the law. I told him that my understanding of the law is that I cant use the MD on sites that are marked as national tresure. But it also states that the site stops being one after 20 meters from the outer markings.

The man wanted to get my name and number so he could look into this with his boss and told me that he would most likely call a meeting. He told me also that this was the first time that someone called and asked about this. I got the feeling he didnt like this at all but I think that the misunderstanding is that all MDing is people wanting to get rich. This is not the case and as for me I am in this for the reason of finding an jobject not getting rich.

I´ll let you know how this whole thing turns out

I know they cant ban me using one but I have the feeling they will try

Siggi

[Rudy]

Originally Posted by Siggi Palma

...

The man wanted to get my name and number so he could look into this with his boss and told me that he would most likely call a meeting. He told me also that this was the first time that someone called and asked about this.

That's when I would have hung up the phone.

There is nothing more dangerous than a bureaucrat with too much time on his hands.

[Siggi Palma]

Hi Rudy, Even though I had the feeling I should have told him I would call back. I want to test this. The laws are strict but they should not be unclear. If they are not clear its their job to clear them up and that I would love to fight

If they think i´m a problem with a MD they have no idea how much of a problem I can be if they are unfair

[IntoIt]

Thats a real strict country you have. Maybe you could find other detectorists in the country and get together as a group for more details.
I would think there are others interested in the answer.

[Siggi Palma]

IntoIt you might think i´m joking but i´m the only one in Iceland that does MDing, There are no clubs and no stores that deals with MDing. The reason I could buy one is there is a store that sells them to the goverment to search for sticks in roads after the winter.

[DFX Bob]

Siggi,
I have got to give you credit by giving your name. I would be concerned that they may visit me in person to discuss my MDing habits. Well keep us posted on you adventure with the Icelandic National heritage agency.
DFX Bob

[Siggi Palma]

Thanks Bob, The reason why I called them is because I want to do this right. Give them a change to explain the law. They simply cant have laws that state " well we feel like you cant". Either you can or you cant. Actually is kinda funny that this subject has never come up with the agency and that they called a meeting to answer my questions

I think that the problem with the National heritage agency is the thought of some one using an MD with out a degree in history and archaeology is trying to get rich. With no knowlidge I will go and plunder the welth of Icelandic history And I thought we were cool about vikings But I actually understand why they think this way. Iceland was never a rich country and every item found is of a value to our history. I would never ever take that away " sell " or Keep something that would have that value.

If I get the change I would like to prove that this is wrong and show them that even though I have some really old viking blood. I dont act like them

Siggi

[Lowjiber]

Siggi...We have a saying in this country: "You can't change City Hall."

I'd just quietly go about my business and let the bureaucrats have their meeting...without me.

Good Luck!

[Siggi Palma]

Lowjiber I understand where your going but for me I would like to know what I can do. And how far I can go. If this hobby ever starts here in Iceland then its better to have the facts then have someone arrested

Siggi

[Siggi Palma]

Well I just made another call and talked to a nice man. He agreed that the laws are shaky and not to the point. He aksed me to send him a letter stating what I´m doing. He was actaully very interested and said that he would like to see the Gti 1500 and the PP in action. Because as strange as it seems they dont use MD´s. He also told me to apply for a permit to use a MD. Witch would give me a permit to use it in places I couldnt use.

Would be interested to get one because I would be the first one

I told him about the code of ethics and how we go about using the MD. I´m sending this letter to him over the weekend and i´ll take it from there I hope I can show them that MDing would only be as a benifit to them. You never know what Mding might find.

Siggi

[Hook]

Siggi i sure hope the gov. employees there arent as bullheaded and afraid to ask questions of their own rules and regulations as most of the pencil pushing one here are. The old saying here...you cant fight city hall...has been proven wrong on occasion...so good luck with your sparring with these officials you're dealing with. Who knows....you may end up with the only MD permit ever issued by them

[Siggi Palma]

Hi Hook, I think the problem is that they dont know how we go about our buisness. I would like to do this right and show them. The good thing is that they are intersted. I´m hoping that they will see that how we go about doing this will only be a good thing for them. And if I can teach them that and get the permit I would be very glad. I got the feeling from the last phonecall that they are willing to find a way.

Siggi

[DougF]

Siggi - good luck with this. I had a somewhat similar experience dealing with a local government. Although there were no prohibitions on MDing in the regulations, I was told to stop and write a letter requesting permission to detect. I did so, and the answer was no, using the general rule against removing rocks, plants, trees, archaeological relics, etc. from the park (not an "historic" area, although every piece of land has some history). If the regs don't specifically permit it, the bureaucratic impulse is to interpret the rules broadly. A bureaucrat knows he/she is more likely to get in trouble by being too lenient rather than too strict.

[gasishigh]

What ever became of this situation Siggi? Are you the first every permitted MDer in Iceland?

[Siggi Palma]

The NHA was pretty strict and told me that I couldn’t own one or use one. It didn’t matter how I explained that I would not be looking specifically for items they would consider to the national treasure. They are reading into the law in a strict way witch they cant do. I had a Lawyer look at the law and he didn’t see a reason that they could ban me to use one. So I decided to go ahead and use it. As you know by now I do what everyone else does around the world. Get permission from land owner and city. Witch I have gotten. I don’t hide the fact that the laws are there and always point out to the owner or city where they can read them. I´m just surprised that they didn’t seem to see the benefits of having me on board. It seems like they don’t want to know if I find anything that could be considered a true find for them.

I will go by the law which states what items I have to return to them. I´m not here ot break the law regarding finds but I will break what they consider to be a ban of using a MD.....

[booker]

Hang in there and becareful

[SeabeeRon]

Sure hope this comes out in your favor Siggi! Keep us posted!

[Siggi Palma]

Actually the case is closed so to speak, NHA will not condone me using a MD becuase they think that by law I can use one becuase there is a change I might find something they like. Me and my Law man do not agree so as long as I dont stand on a spot that is considered to be a national heritige i´m ok. I get permission from the city and owner of land. And i´m good to go

They choose not to get me on board. That is their loss not mine