The government has revealed plans aimed at protecting newly discovered treasure in England and Wales.

Changes to the Treasury Act 1996 will see artefacts defined as treasure if they have historical or cultural significance.

Its goal is to ensure that important artifacts are not lost to the public and can instead be displayed in museums.

The move follows the growth in popularity of metal detecting.

Under pre-existing rules, objects are classified as treasures if they are found to be more than 300 years old, made of gold or silver, or found alongside artifacts made of precious metals.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said several Roman finds on UK soil did not meet the current criteria for the definition of treasure.

“The search for buried treasure by budding detectorists has become more popular than ever and many ancient objects are now finding their way into museum collections,” Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage said.

“However, it is important that we pursue plans to protect more of our precious history and make it easier for everyone to follow the treasure process.”

Once they have been officially identified as treasure, they become the property of the Crown and can be acquired by museums for public display.

The DCMS said the new rules would have protected discoveries such as that of a Roman statuette, depicting a Briton, found near Chelmsford, Essex, in 2014.

The artifact, now in Chelmsford City Museum after an export license delayed its sale, would previously not have met the definition of treasure because it is made from a copper alloy.

“Although it was of exceptional archaeological importance, the dog did not fall within the definition of treasure in the 1996 Act because it was made of lead,” the DCMS said.