Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878

Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1876 (ACT NO. VI OF 1878.1) (12 February 1878). Is an Act to amend the law relating to treasures found in India.[1][2] It defines treasure specifically as "anything of any value hidden in the soil" and worth as little as 10 rupees (usually around $0.15 or ₤0.10).

Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878
British India
Enacted byBritish India
Status: In force

What the law entails

The finder of any such treasure, according to this law, needs to inform the most senior local official of the "nature and amount or approximate value of such treasure and the place where it was found". Also, if the finder fails to hand over the booty to the government, the "share of such treasure ... shall vest in Her Majesty", the Queen of The United Kingdom.[3]

Law not user friendly for Treasure Hunters

Criticism as to the complexity and the subsequent irrelevance of the law in its current form has been voiced, particularly by the hobby metal detector enthusiasts and professional treasure hunters. Moreover, such criticism has been voices as practically all finds belong to the local Government.[4][5] However, reforms in the law are being sought.[6]

All major metal detecting, excavations and treasure hunts per se are carried out by India's nodal agency setup for the purpose, the Archaeological Survey of India.

Notes
  1. Indian Treasure Trove Act, 1878 Archived 30 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Archaeological Survey of India 13 February 2018
  2. Antiquity - Acts & Rules
  3. Does buried treasure in India still belong to the Queen? India to wield axe on 287 laughable colonial British laws DNA India 7 October 2017
  4. Ten laws that India should scrap BBC 7 October 2014
  5. Five most bizarre British Raj laws being repealed by India The Telegraph 15 October 2014
  6. Archaeological plundering in India getting worrisome, say experts Times of India 31 May 2013

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