(1) No person shall by means of excavation or similar operation search for any antiquity unless authorised by a permit issued by the Board.

(2) Before issuing a permit to excavate, the Board shall satisfy itself that the applicant is competent by training and experience to carry out the operations for which the permit is required, and may require to be satisfied that the applicant has the financial or other support of an archaeological or scientific society or institution of good repute.

(3) A permit to excavate may be granted subject to such conditions as the Board thinks fit, and may at any time be revoked by the Board without reason assigned, and shall not confer any right to enter upon any land without the consent of the person entitled to grant consent.

(4) The person to whom a permit to excavate is granted and all persons engaged in any excavation or other operations to which it relates shall, if so required by any person authorised in writing by the Board, suspend the excavation or other operation until notified by the Board that it may be resumed.