Over one and a half million Northern Irish archaeological finds are still in possession of the private companies that unearthed them.
The ancient remains, including pottery, metalwork, and human remains, were discovered by commercial companies redeveloping construction sites for new roads or buildings.
Since 1999, an estimated 1.47 million objects which were uncovered in Northern Ireland have been held by commercial companies. A dispute over ownership of the objects and a lack of facilities means the items have remained in the private companies.
According to the Northern Irish assembly, the current legal framework does not allow for the passing of archaeological archives produced through the planning process to local museums, except through a subsequent loan from National Museums Northern Ireland.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme states all archaeological finds discovered in Northern Ireland are normally the property of the landowner.
There has been a legal obligation to report the discovery of all archaeological objects found in Northern Ireland since 1926.
One of the most substantial recent finds was in Loughbrickland in Co. Down where Neolithic and Bronze Age remains were found in 2005 during construction of a motorway.
They included evidence of three Neolithic houses dating back over 6,000 years and a Bronze Age burial site. The artefacts found include whole pottery bowls, polished stone axes, and flint arrowheads.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.esatdigiwank | Jul 04, 2012, 07:00 AM EDT
Looking to make a quick buck. How venal.
aloistmartin | Jul 03, 2012, 07:34 PM EDT
In a Capitalist Society, Wealth takes precedence over Tradition, and Patriotism @!..?
seanomelb | Jul 03, 2012, 06:26 PM EDT
The British raped and pillage Ireland's antiquities over many generations as they raped and pillaged antiquities in the middle east,Egypt and Africa.The Brit museums are loaded with stolen booty(including the Elgin marbles).If dopey bythebay wishes to show proof that the IRA raped and pillaged antiquities in the north of Ireland please list the items and the times and dates. Dopey bythebay just cannot stick theme of the article the spiteful and hateful bi##tch.
Bythebay | Jul 03, 2012, 12:23 PM EDT
BelfastJimmy, you're the refugee, not the people of Ireland. Name calling and provo terrorist supporter is your moniker.
Bythebay | Jul 03, 2012, 12:19 PM EDT
The IRA Provo Terrorists destroyed museums and buildings all across Northern Ireland UK as well as in England. They singlehandedly cost Northern Ireland UK billions of pounds in destroyed infrastructure, money that could have been used for historical objects, hospitals, schools and jobs.
BelfastJimmy | Jul 03, 2012, 11:27 AM EDT
"The IRA Provo Terrorists destroyed the museums and more artifacts than that" Really? Which museums were they? "Bythebay" is a moniker for a refuge from a UDA website. As you well know 'Bythebay', the Provisional freedom fighters were a response to state instigated terrorism supported by people like you against innocent Irish people. You were perhaps one of the 'artifacts' they missed in the bombings.
Bythebay | Jul 03, 2012, 11:02 AM EDT
So? The IRA Provo Terrorists destroyed the museums and more artifacts than that in Northern Ireland UK during their 30 years of terrorism.
Portia777 | Jul 03, 2012, 10:15 AM EDT
Might be safer than in museums considering how certain items go missing on their way to the museums?