Immediate steps – SOS help

Protecting people’s lives and health is always the priority. If you are instructed to evacuate the building, do so immediately. The evacuation procedure is set out in your institution’s emergency plan.

Terms used: video surveillance system; access control system; intrusion and hold-up alarm system; fire detection and alarm system; fixed fire-extinguishing system; relative humidity.

Short animated guide

Immediate steps – SOS help

Terms used: video surveillance system; access control system; intrusion and hold-up alarm system; fire detection and alarm system; fixed fire-extinguishing system; relative humidity.

Short animated guide

Immediate steps – SOS help

Follow these steps to minimise damage and protect people, the site, and any evidence.

Stop and do not disturb the find:

Under no circumstances should you remove the find from the ground, clean it, or alter it in any way. Leaving the object exactly as you found it, in its original condition and position, is essential to preserving its historical value.

Contact the heritage authorities immediately:

Ideally, telephone the relevant Regional Monuments Board directly from the findspot and inform them of the situation. If you have no mobile signal or are contacting them outside office hours,* report the find by email.

* Office hours of the Regional Monuments Boards’ registry offices:
Monday – Thursday 8.30 am – 3.00 pm, Friday 8.30 am – 2.00 pm

Document the site thoroughly and record its GPS coordinates:

Take several photographs, including a close-up, a view from directly above, and a wider shot showing the surrounding area and any distinctive landscape features. Remember to save the precise GPS coordinates of the findspot on your phone.

Conceal the find and mark the location:

If you are in a secluded location (e.g. a forest) and cannot wait for a specialist to arrive, discreetly cover the find with leaves, soil, or branches. However, make sure the location is clearly marked for the heritage authorities, for example by sticking a branch into the ground or arranging stones.

Move the find only as a last resort:

If the artefact is at immediate risk of destruction (e.g. from rising river levels) or theft on a busy route, you may move it to safety. However, do so only after taking detailed photographs and recording its original GPS coordinates.

Cooperate openly with the heritage authorities and receive a reward:

 When communicating with specialists from the Regional Monuments Board, give a truthful account of all the circumstances of the discovery and do not withhold any details about the findspot. If you fulfil your statutory reporting obligation and follow all procedures for protecting the object, the state may award you a finder’s reward of up to 100% of the value of the find itself.

Full details on the protection and discovery of archaeological artefacts can be found on the DISCOVERY OF AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARTEFACT subpage.

Short animated guide

Immediate steps – SOS help

A state of threat to the state or a state of war has been declared. Emergency measures are coordinated by the central crisis management authorities, including regional and municipal crisis management teams. There is a risk of fires, structural damage to buildings, damage to infrastructure, and the evacuation of populations from affected areas.

Terms used: video surveillance system; access control system; intrusion and hold-up alarm system; fire detection and alarm system; fixed fire-extinguishing system; relative humidity.

Short animated guide

SAFETY COMES FIRST

In every emergency, one absolute rule applies: human life and health must always take precedence over collection objects or other property. The first and most important step in any emergency is to ensure everyone’s immediate safety.

In any emergency involving a threat to human life, alert the emergency services and the responsible authorities without delay, and ensure that all staff and visitors are safe. Only attempt to rescue or evacuate collection objects if doing so does not directly endanger your own health. When assessing the situation, be aware of hidden hazards associated with the incident, including attackers, toxic chemicals, fumes from fires, or standing water that may be electrically charged. Always use the prescribed personal protective equipment if conditions require it. Preventing panic and avoiding any increase in the risk to those present must take absolute priority over protecting cultural heritage in all circumstances.