"I was thrilled just to have the opportunity to find an item important enough to be put in the museum and if it helps the recognition of metal detecting as an important tool in the recovery of historical objects and as an aid to archaeology and understanding, rather than a threat, I am pleased."

The words of Tracy MacDonald from Michigan, USA, but a sentiment that we all can echo this side of the Atlantic.

What was it that moved Tracy to such eloquence? Her discovery last summer of a Papal Bulla. Nice, but not exceptional, you may say. However, on turning the Bulla over - a complete surprise - a Matrix Seal. What a unique artefact and one quite probably destroyed in the next season's ploughing.

The team was led by Jimmy Sierra, a legend in the US where he sells White's detectors as well as his own brand of products. He has worked with American archaeologists on such sites as the Donner Party excavation and others similar to the site at Custers Last Stand - Little Bighorn. He is also a historian and his knowledge covers not just his native land but also these shores, which is why he co organised this trip.

This side of the Pond, help was provided by David Barwell, Archaeological Liaison Officer of the NCMD Southern Region. Quite apaft from the detecting there were visits to museums, historical villages, halls and castles, as well as evening lectures about Roman villas given by David Gurney, Principal Landscape Archaeologist from the Norfolk Museums Service, and a museum night of identification given by Norfolk Museum staff.

The greatest surprise in store for these visitors was the farmland chosen for them, much of it virgin territory. The surprise being that sites meticulously researched for a past often turn up nothing whereas a field of no known history will unveil coins and artefacts of interest. And sure enough amidst the days of nothing, two Roman sites and one medieval market area were discovered.

Amongst all this antiquity was the very latest in technology - a GPS Satellite Navigator. This piece of kit, used in the Gulf War and in-car navigation systems, enabled the team to plot all a fields finds of coins and artefacts up to 1700 AD absolutely precisely.

Speaking of finds, Tracy MacDonald not only found the Papal Bulla, but also a Roman figurine which was confirmed by David Gurney. This, along with other discoveries that day, prompted the team to conclude this could be a new Roman site.

The Latin on the outer ring read - [SIG]ILLVM ROBERT [IF]ILLII WALTER 1, and on the inner ring - [V]ERA SIGILL VM.MIA]

Which translates as: "Seal of Robert, son of Walter"

"My true seal."

Not surprisingly these finds have encouraged Tracy who hopes to be back next year and, who knows, add to her discoveries now on display at the Castle Museum.

Another just as excited by what he uncovered is Cal Frederick who has visited these shores many times before. This time he completed an historic chain that Mark Twain could have written about.

For, some 700 years ago Thomas Peverel of Berton by Swathling, Hampshire, and of Blackington and Ripe, Sussex; son and heir of Andrew Peverel (d. 1274) who was summoned to serve against the Welsh in 1277 and 1282, and against the Scots in 1297, 1298, 1300 and 1301 under Edward I, lost an heraldic pendant.

Cal Frederick, of a country not yet discovered for another 200 years, found it. We know this thanks to Steven Ashley, an expert on heraldic devices who deciphered the heraldic design of:

"Gyronny of twelve (Argent) And Gules a bordure sable semy of roundels Or"

The pendant will be conserved and also shown in the museum alongside many of the other interesting finds made by this intrepid team from the USA.

We can only hope that this true hands across the water spirit will prevail as suc cessfully this year.