Metal Detectors Super Store

Recently I had the opportunity to support a first for the island, and in particular the Carisbrooke Castle. The English Heritage archaeological dig is the first excavation within the Castle, and aims to gain knowledge of the Privy Garden history from Saxon, Norman and medieval periods.

Carisbrooke Castle started as a Roman fortification, and extended through the Saxon period to the 11th and 12th centuries when it became a Norman Motte and Bailey Castle.

The area around the 11th century chapel, which since about 1700 had shown to be gardens could reveal evidence of what was a high status cemetery since Saxon times through to medieval.

I was asked if I could assist during the dig by scanning all the spoil heaps for any possible artefacts. Obviously discrimination wasn't really necessary as all metals were part of the information being gathered, providing a rare insight of the Castles development over the centuries.

Having already decided that the X-Terra 70 was the ideal detector to use for this project, it only remained for me to decide what coil would be suitable in the conditions likely to be encountered. Clearly with the many coil frequency options at my disposal detecting was a matter of versatility.

You might think that my choice was likely to be a standard concentric for greater pinpointing, well no I decided to use the new 10.5'' inch DD round high frequency 18.75 kHz coil.

I felt that the DD coil would give me greater coverage and better rejection of ground noise, especially as this ground was likely to be quite mineralised. Well what I did find, was that the ground was covered with many metal items. Worrying at first, but it was possible to reduce the sensitivity and at the same time reduce any possible confusion. I was able to separate and pick up every signal; the meter reading gave me all the valuations

My god how sensitive this coil is, it picked up every little metal item in the ground and soon the trays were getting filled up with a whole range of valuable archaeological information from many centuries - I finally just left the setting on pinpoint only and continued just searching every mound all day.

Judging by the exhausted looks on the faces of other searchers with their machines, and the fact that they gave up after just a couple of hours, suggested they were having a few problems dealing with the conditions.

Many thanks for making this experience possible, my detecting in the field has been equally rewarding; so the X-Terra 70 is always taken to rallies along side my Explorer not for relaxation but as an equal to my detecting day.

John Williams