ACCORDING to the records of the Section of Antiquities, over K80 million in reward money have been presented to six individuals who handed over artefacts up to the end of June in the 2026-2027 financial year.
Reward money totalling K80,464,681 was provided for 1,433 items, which include two gold items, 349 silver items, and 1,082 other items.
During the 2025-2026 financial year, 10 individuals handed over artefacts, depositing a total of 951 items, including 12 silver items and 939 other items, for which K20,934,839 in reward money was distributed.
An official from the Department of Archaeology and National Museum stated that the number of people handing over ancient artefacts has grown due to awareness campaigns on social media, and that items from the Bronze Age and Iron Age are particularly predominant among submissions.
The department provides cash rewards alongside certificates of honour for submissions, including the original value, a period-specific bonus, a craftsmanship bonus, and a rarity value.
The department has announced that ancient artefacts collected through such submissions and donations are registered as assets and preserved and exhibited at its branches, sub-departments, and museums. — MT/ZN