Bill Wyman with a gold torc - found by a metal detectorist and part of the 'Hidden Treasure' exhibition currently showing at the Hancock.

24 Hour Museum Renaissance Student Journalist Alastair Smith meets a man equally at ease wielding a bass guitar or a metal detector...

As a former member of the Rolling Stones Bill Wyman may seem to be an unlikely archaeologist, but his latest book ‘Bill Wyman’s Treasure Islands’ explores his love of metal detecting and uncovering lost treasures.

Bill was at the Hancock Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne on Monday April 25 to visit the ‘Buried Treasure’ exhibition which celebrates the finds of farmers, beachcombers and metal detector users. His book is full of similar exciting finds and is an encouragement to anyone who would like to uncover their own treasures.

In recent years Bill has been involved with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, a government funded initiative that helps people to share their finds and find out more about them.

He said: “I think that it’s a great scheme because it’s finally united detectorists with archaeologists. There was always enmity there before and in recent years it’s become much more co-effective."

“I think it’s beneficial for everybody because now detectorists can guide archaeologists onto sites which they didn’t know about before and the archaeologists can do a very thorough job.”

You may have just written a book about archaeology but when you are an ex-Rolling Stone your past is never far away.

While living in the South of France, Bill also developed an interest in astronomy and art and has previously written a book on Marc Chagall.

These hobbies may seem unusual for someone who was once in one the world’s greatest rock and roll bands but Bill is keen to end the myth that history and metal detecting are just for older people.

“A lot of the public think archaeology is for anoraks and it’s a boring old subject. The reason that older people are detectorists is because they have got more time to do it,” he added.

“What I always try to tell people is that there are masses and masses of young people that do it and kids that are 10 or 12 have found amazing things and are interested in history."

“When I was a kid, museums were dark, dismal and musty and smelled like old books. Nowadays they are colourful and very child friendly and people have made them very interesting for children and I think that’s great.”

Torcs from Hoard L from Snettisham, Norfolk, in situ. Found in 1990, dating to the Iron Age. © British Museum.

A childhood interest in history first led him to metal detecting and he has since uncovered thousands of lost objects. ”I’ve found some great things. I’ve got about six or seven thousand things that I’ve found. I’ve found two Roman sites near my house which people had known nothing about. I’ve also found Bronze Age things, but never a hoard,” he said.

“I’ve started to find some Saxon things in my village, and as my village was created by the Saxons I think I’ve found the site where they lived."

“The book shows what is out there, what has been found and how many times things have been found accidentally by children playing or by workmen, as well as things that have been found in peoples back gardens. I say to everybody: ‘Check your back gardens’, no matter where you live.”

Bill and co-author Richard Havers signed copies of their latest book and even mentioned how, during research for their book, they had relied on 24 Hour Museum to check where finds were being displayed and to find out about museums around the country.

Satisfaction...Bill signs his new book on archaeology.

Bill will visit a ‘Fabulous Finds Day’ at The Museum of London on April 30 and will be signing copies of his book between 10:45 and 11:15 before a photo shoot with museum visitors.

To find out more about Fabulous Finds Days read our news feature Fabulous Finds Day - At A Museum Near You

To find out more about the Portable Antiquities Scheme visit www.finds.org.uk

‘Buried Treasure’ will be at the Hancock Museum until June 26, 2005. Admission to the exhibition is £4.95 for adults and £2.95 for children and concessions, under-four's get in free.

Alastair Smith is the 24 Hour Museum Renaissance Student Writer in the North East region. Renaissance is the groundbreaking initiative to transform England's regional museums, led by MLA, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.