A rare omegidine pin from the Roman-Provincial environment found by the detector

At the beginning of June Tobias-red added a beautiful and very well preserved pin from the Roman period to the LP artifacts catalogue. Little did he know that it would become the subject of specialist interest and even win the Find of the Month competition. The pin so intrigued Elmar that he arranged an interview with the finder. At the end of the article you will also find a statement from the archaeologist with whom the finder is in contact.

How did you come to find it?

I started looking when I was 14. I had a Garrett 250 at the time. But I was actively searching for about two and a half to three years. During that time, I worked with an archaeologist from the Prostejov Museum, Blanka Vesla. She introduced me to the search. I enjoyed it very much. Then in high school I stopped for two years. Only this year, after graduation, a friend and I said that we could go on a search again.

And you found a unique Roman-era pin. Is that a chance find or did you go to a "known" location on purpose?

Coincidence. Since the fields were sown, we went into the woods. There we had a signal and dug for what looked like a modern buckle. So I took it home. I didn't know exactly what I found because I'd never come across it. Luckily I didn't think to clean it drastically, I just rinsed it with distilled water. Then I posted the pictures on Treasure Hunter and they told me what it might actually be. It was about 14 days after the find that I actually first learned what I thought I had found.

What were your first feelings when you found out what you actually found?

I was very surprised and excited about it. I called my friend right away. And one of the first things that occurred to me was that I had cut off contact with archaeologists for two years. But luckily, through a friend, I got in touch with the archaeologists directly from the museum, and then I arranged for the handover. I've got it stored in a bag here, all documented, GPS tracked and everything.

Do you know anything more?

I already have some answers, specifically I spoke to the archaeologist Mgr. Ivan Cizmar. Through a friend in Kosteliec we have arranged for the handover, which should take place at the end of August or the beginning of September. He wrote to me that it is a clasp from the late Roman period. He said that these omegas are rare here and known more from western areas. So far he has found specimens that are identical in construction, not in decoration. So it's actually a unique find for them as well.

Will you require the buckle back when it's submitted for conservation?

No, of course I'll leave it in the museum. The archaeologist was happy to see the photos, and he was thrilled. He appreciated that I was interested in working with him

The clasp was even the find of the month. You won a new detector. What's it like?

I've only had experience with the Garrett so far, but the Nokta Score is definitely better in every way. You can't compare it, it's faster and better overall.

Do you have a favorite historical period?

I'm absolutely most interested in Rome, because here I basically have a place almost behind my house where we found Roman coins and some other stuff. So the Roman period is actually the closest to me.

Is there anyone who motivated you in the beginning?

I was motivated by Prospector and Carpathian, the YouTubers that I was watching a lot at the time. And that actually inspired me to work with archaeologists as well.

Do you study any sources, maps and local literature or go blind before you search?

Mr. Smid, an archaeologist who used to do excavations here and is now retired, lives not far from me. I've had a few conversations with him. I try to study a lot of things, but quite often I go blind - just to go out and clear my head.

Have you ever looked for a place that has a legend or story attached to it?

Yes, there is one such place. There was a big lime tree in the woods behind the church by the river that my grandmother told me about. The Prussian soldiers clashed under that lime tree. The soldiers chased the enemy there and killed them all. This is a documented story that really happened. So I searched around the place with the linden tree and found things like a Prussian buckle, some buttons and other things from that time.

Was there a turning point when you realized you wanted to share your findings with the public and experts?

I basically had it from the beginning. But I was coming to the museum with all sorts of crap, and luckily the archaeologist was patient and excited that I was interested. But the point where I really felt I had found something important to hand in - when I found a bronze axe with a quiver in a field with a friend. A really big one. And at that point I even almost lost my friend because he wanted to keep it. Whereas I knew I wanted to give it back. And we really argued quite a bit, at least for two or three weeks, but I finally convinced him that it was important for me to turn in the axe.

My friend was then sorry that we had waited a long time for some information, because it took maybe a month or two for the axe to be preserved. But finally we received the information from the museum in Prostejov and everything went well. And in the end, it was good for him too.

What's your ratio of good targets to waste?
I guess it depends. When I go out here, there's quite a lot of rubbish. But I'd say one in five finds is good, but it depends. I've got a backpack, and I carry the crap in it.

How do your loved ones feel about this hobby

When I go looking, sometimes my grandmother gets scared. But since she's in her 90s, it's understandable. On the other hand, sometimes she gives me advice because you remember a lot, like where the roads were. She actually gave me advice about the lime tree with the battle. And my family supports me - when the competition was on, they all cheered me on. My neighborhood finds the hobby interesting. I got my first detector from my mom, too.

You haven't considered archaeology?

Actually, I did when I was in high school. But in the end, I chose Applied Computer Science and Industrial Automation in Zlin. But I'm not teaching that I'll end up doing archaeology.

What do you enjoy most about metal detecting?

Well, mainly the fact that I can get out and relax in the field. It's so relaxing for me.

And is there anything you don't enjoy about metal detecting?

I can't think of anything. But one time when I was searching near the cemetery, there was a lady standing there who called the cops on me. But they came, so I went over and we had a nice chat. And that's about it. Most of the people I meet here, even the older ones, they ask questions. They're interested in the detector and the hobby, and they give advice. I've never met anyone aggressive, and even the field owners here are cool.

Can you highlight the most important thing you've learned while detector detecting?

Probably the most important thing for me is to always remember that what I find has some sort of telling value to history. I then enjoy, for example, spending evenings researching and studying the history of the area. And I can spend whole evenings studying that material.

What is your favourite series? And why "Detectorist"?

I don't know the show, but I'll definitely watch it :)

Finally, do you have any message for other detectorists?

Well, if I can say anything from the perspective of a young person who actually started searching recently, it's to realize the value of history and try to handle it responsibly and according to your own judgement.

After the interview with the finder, I also asked for a brief statement from Mgr. Ivan Čižmar from the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Care Brno, who immediately replied:

"After consultation with my colleagues, it is a late Roman omege-shaped clasp (Ringfiebel). It is not local (Germanic), but comes from the Roman-Provincial environment. We don't have many finds in our area, but it is more present in the western provinces. Each specimen is processed a little differently, the found clasp is decorated with concentric rings compared to others. Since these clasps are not very common in our environment, it is very important to further preserve these findings," explained Mgr. Čižmář in an email communication.

"The buckle was found in a wooded environment, in an area where we have no other finds from the Roman period or other metallic periods recorded so far. It may therefore be an isolated lost artefact. We have arranged with the finder to hand it over after the holidays at the end of August / beginning of September and after further documentation it will become part of collections of the Museum and Gallery in Prostějov or the Moravian Museum," the archaeologist concluded in his statement, for which I thank him once again.

Of course, I also thank Tobias-Red for his willingness to share his experiences in this interview and wish him as many more wonderful detector experiences as possible.

Roman Nemec

You can see almost 1400 more clasps from the Roman period in the section History Hunters - Clasps

Bronze axe mentioned in the interview

... and a few other interesting finds