Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Treatment and preservation of archaeological objects found

34.—(1) Where a person enters any land in exercise of any power of entry under this Part for any of the following purposes, that is to say—

(a)to carry out any excavations in the land or any operations affecting any historic monument situated in, on or under the land;

(b)to observe any operations on the land in exercise of the power under Article 8(3)(a) or (4)(b); or

(c)to carry out any archaeological examination of the land;

he may take temporary custody of any archaeological object discovered during the course of those excavations or operations or (as the case may be) during the course of that examination, and remove it from its site for the purpose of examining, testing, treating, recording or preserving it.

(2) The Department may not retain the object without the consent of the owner beyond such period as may be reasonably required for the purpose of examining and recording it and carrying out any test or treatment which appears to the Department to be desirable for the purpose of archaeological investigation or analysis or with a view to restoring or preserving the object.

(3) Nothing in this Article shall affect any right of the Crown in relation to treasure trove.