AI & Land Research Disclaimers

Important limitations of photographic AI identification and market estimates.

Buried Beneath Vault uses artificial intelligence, image analysis, research sources and user-supplied information to assist with the identification of archaeological, numismatic and historical objects.

An AI identification can be wrong. It is a research opinion generated from the available evidence, not a certificate of identity, authenticity, age, ownership or value.

Worn, damaged, incomplete, corroded, encrusted, poorly lit or low-resolution objects can materially reduce accuracy. Two-dimensional photographs may not reveal weight, metal composition, edge detail, thickness, manufacturing technique, repairs or modern alteration.

Where the service requests Front and Back images, both should show the actual object. Weight, diameter and scale should be supplied when available.

Confidence labels describe how strongly the available evidence supports the suggested conclusion. They are not statistical guarantees.

The report may deliberately state that a field is not determinable rather than inventing an answer. This is a feature, not a failure.

Any value or range is an approximate market-research estimate based on available comparables and visible condition. It is not a professional, auction, insurance, probate or certified valuation.

Buried Beneath Vault cannot guarantee that a comparable is identical to your object or that your object would achieve the same price.

Authenticity cannot normally be established from photographs alone. Suspected rare, valuable, unusual or archaeologically important objects should be physically examined by an appropriate specialist.

Do not sell, insure, clean, conserve or materially alter an important object solely in reliance on an AI report.

Cleaning can permanently damage archaeological surfaces, patina, inscriptions and evidence. Buried Beneath Vault provides conservative care guidance only. If in doubt, leave the object unchanged and seek specialist advice.

The service cannot make a binding determination under Treasure legislation. In England and Wales, current government guidance requires Treasure to be reported to the local Finds Liaison Officer within 14 days of finding it or within 14 days of realising it may be Treasure.

Different legal regimes apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Users are responsible for checking the rules that apply to the place where the object was found.

Reports may cite identification sources and market comparables. Sources can contain errors or later be updated. A citation shows the basis of the research; it does not convert an uncertain identification into a certainty.

Landscape Interest Scores, Target Intelligence, LiDAR, historic maps, GPS and detecting permissions.

Buried Beneath Land Intelligence is a historical landscape research and decision-support tool designed to help a detectorist understand potentially interesting parts of permitted land.

It may combine current mapping, historic maps, LiDAR, documentary or public evidence, deterministic spatial analysis and AI-assisted research/explanation.

A high Landscape Interest Score is not a prediction that valuable finds or Treasure are present.

Scores and target rankings express the strength, relevance and combination of available landscape evidence. They are intended to prioritise areas for further investigation, not to promise finds.

Two fields with similar scores can produce very different detecting outcomes because past activity, soil movement, modern disturbance, detecting history and chance are not fully observable.

Authoritative records, interpreted LiDAR features, historic-map evidence and AI-assisted historical context are distinguished in the report.

Statements such as “possible former route”, “possible settlement relationship” or “may have been used” are hypotheses unless supported by authoritative evidence. The service explains why an interpretation was made and its limitations.

Historic maps vary greatly in date, scale, completeness and positional accuracy. Early maps can be useful for settlement, route and landscape context but should not be treated as modern survey-grade geometry.

Georeferencing can introduce distortion. Absence from an incomplete historic map or unavailable sheet must not be treated as proof that a feature did not exist.

LiDAR can reveal earthworks, hollows, banks, platforms, field systems and linear features, but similar shapes can be created by geology, drainage, agriculture, forestry, utilities and modern activity.

A LiDAR correspondence increases landscape interest only to the extent explained by the report. It is not, by itself, proof of archaeology.

Plain-English historical narratives are evidence-led interpretations designed to make the landscape understandable and engaging. They may describe plausible movement between churches, settlements, crossings, roads or other features where the evidence supports that relationship.

The report distinguishes documented fact from interpretation and uses confidence language proportionate to the evidence.

Target coordinates and navigation buttons are provided to help you explore the relevant area. GPS, compass sensors, geocoding, map alignment and device location can all be inaccurate.

Never use a target coordinate as authority to enter land, cross a boundary, approach a hazard or detect outside the area for which you have permission.

Buried Beneath Vault does not verify or grant landowner permission. You are responsible for obtaining and retaining appropriate permission and complying with any landowner conditions.

You must independently check protected, scheduled, restricted or environmentally sensitive land and any other legal or practical exclusion before detecting. A Buried Beneath report is not a substitute for those checks.

Field conditions can include water, unstable ground, livestock, machinery, traffic, cliffs, excavations, utilities and other hazards. Navigation features do not assess real-time field safety.

Use appropriate judgement, equipment and permissions and comply with landowner instructions.

Finding an object can create reporting or other legal obligations. Buried Beneath Vault does not determine title to finds or replace the Treasure Act process, Portable Antiquities Scheme advice or professional archaeological advice.

We do not guarantee that any target contains coins, artefacts, archaeology, valuables or other finds, or that detecting in a high-ranked area will outperform another area.

The value of Land Intelligence is the structured combination and explanation of available evidence, not a promise of discovery.