Federal Archeological Programs and Activities: The Secretary of the Interior's Report to Congress

128 Pages·1993·6.7 MB·English

by  McManamon, Francis

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ARCHEOLOGICAL PROGRAMS
AND ACTIVITIES
TheSecretaryof the Interior's
Report to Congress
PUBLIC documents
DEPUSJTOKY item
APR 25 1994
CLFMSON
LifiEARX
•
Departmental ConsultingArcheologist
Archeological Assistance Program
National Park Service
Department ofthe Interior
Washington, DC
1993
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://www.archive.org/details/federalarcheologOOmcma
FEDERAL ARCHEOLOGICAL PROGRAMS
AND
ACTIVITIES
Compiled by
FrancisP. McManamon The Secretary of the Interior's
Patricia C. Knoll
Rntbann Knudson Report to Congress
GeorgeS. Smith
andRichard C. Waldhaner
Departmental ConsultingArcheologist
ArcheologicalAssistance Program
1993
National ParkService
DepartmentoftheInterior
Washington, DC
COVER: Rock art at Pony Hill Site, NM
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Summary
Executive
In 1989SecretaryoftheInteriorManuelLujan,Jr. senttoCongressareportonFederal
archeological activities that incorporated information from all Federal agencies that
have archeological responsibilities. The content and scope of the 1989 report sub-
stantially expanded the archeological activities and results taken into account. As a
result, the reports, ofwhich this is the second, have increased substantially in con-
tent. This more comprehensive level of reporting, data collection, synthesis, and
evaluation hasrequiredaconsiderablylongertimetopreparethereportsthan inpre-
vious years when only a portion ofNational Park Service (NPS) activities were cov-
ered. Measures are being taken to reduce the time needed to collect the data and
producefuairereports.
The recommendations made in the 1989 report were used by Secretary Lujan to de-
vise anational strategyforFederal archeologythathasbeenformulated (Lujan 1991).
The strategy calis for greater attention as part of Federal archeology programs and
projectsin:
• Providing for public education and participation;
• Using the paleoenvironmentai record from archeological sites to better
understand present-day changing environments;
• Preserving in situ archeological remains;
• Improving the communication ofarcheological information;
• Improving archeological resource inventories; and
• Improving the curation ofarcheological collections.
These categories provide anoutline that organizedthe chapters ofthe presentreport
to Congress. Thisreportrecordsprogress in certain areas relatedto the national strat-
egy. Anumber ofimportant improvements have strengthened efforts to protect and
preservearcheological resources. Amendmentsto theArchaeological Resources Pro-
tectionAct(ARPA)enhancedthestatute by: (1)making iteasierto obtainconvictions
under ARPA by lowering the financial threshold for artifact value or site damage re-
quiredforafelonyviolation; (2) makingtheattempted lootingofa site a crime; (3)re-
quiring Federal programs to increase the public's awareness ofand appreciation for
the significance of archeological resources located on public and Indian lands and
theneedtoprotectsuch resources; (4) developing methodsofreporting violationsof
the Act and establishing procedures for document completion by agency personnel;
and (5) determiningthe natureandextentofarcheological resourceson Federal land
through increasedarcheologicalsurvey.
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TheSecretaryoftheInterior'sReportto Congress
Important advances also have occurred in the means of exchanging information
about Federal archeology. Not the least of those advances was the production and
distribution ofthe earlier Secretary's report to Congress on Federal archeology (Keel
et al. 1989). In addition, to assist in regular information exchange, the National Park
Service'sArcheologicalAssistance Programdevelopedaseriesofpublications.
These publicationsinclude:
FederalArcheologyReport, a quarterlynewsletterbegun inApril 1988, which pro-
vides information on current archeological activities by Federal and other public
agencies. Topics covered include training opportunities, published sources for tech-
nical guidance, interagencypeer reviewsto improve Federal projecteffectiveness, as
well as anti-looting and vandalism, public awareness, and education initiatives. This
newsletterisdistributedtoover5,000individualsandorganizations.
Technicalpublications, which began appearing inJune 1988, that provide specific
guidance on topics important for improvements in public agency archeology pro-
gramsandarcheological preservation.
There have been advances in public education. For example, die interagency Public
AwarenessWorking Group (PAWG) began a number ofprograms in 1987 including
theproduction anddistributionofaseriesofarcheological resource protectionbook-
marks and a 28-minute videotape {Assault on Time) promoting archeological re-
source protection. The bookmarks and video were produced and distributed
cooperativelybyseveral agenciesincludingthe National ParkService, Fish andWild-
life Service, Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, the Department of the
Treasury, andtheDepartmentoftheArmy.
The coming decade and the next century pose new challenges along with the ones
that have confronted those concerned about archeological preservation during the
last 20 years. The areas currently addressed must continue to be addressed. For the
most part, Federal program managers and archeologists cannot afford to shift pre-
cious resources away from these activities to meet additional challenges, although
someshifting maybenecessary.
Neweffortsarerequiredto improvepubliceducation andparticipation, thepreserva-
tion ofthe in situ record, information availability, resource inventories, and the cura-
tion of collections and records. Progress in all of these areas has the potential for
substantialbenefits iftheycanbeaddressedeffectively.
To continue to improve the system ofarcheological resource management that has
developed in the United States during the past 25 years, the Administration, Federal
and other public agencies, Congress, archeologists from each of the major areas of
employment including public agencies, academic departments, private firms, and
id historicpreservationistsmustworkcooperatively. Thereismuchtodo,
butitisnecessary ifthe nation'sarcheological heritageisto haveauseful future.
iv
Acknowledgements
Interagency cooperation provided the foundations upon which this reportwas writ-
ten. We acknowledge those departments/agencies that contributed data. Without
their dedication and contributions the content, scope, and quality ofdata contained
in this report would not have been possible. A special note of appreciation is ex-
tended to all those individuals who collected and compiled the data used in this re-
port. We would also like to thank the Interagency Archeological Task Force for its
assistance in revisingan earlierquestionnaireto meetthe needsofdata collection for
this report. Especially helpful in this revision were: Richard Brook (Bureau of Land
Management), Evan DeBloois (Forest Service), Jim Hand (Corps ofEngineers), and
Kevin Kilcullen (Fish and Wildlife Service). Their comments greatly assisted in the
qualityofdatareceived.
The staffofthe National Park Service, Archeological Assistance Divisionwas respon-
sible for compiling and evaluating the data provided by 43 departments and agen-
cies. Because the data were analyzed at a much finer level than was possible in
previousyears, ittook considerablestaffcooperation andtime to prepare this report.
Their collective experience, dedication, persistence, ability to work well with their
colleagues in various departments/agencies, and their pleasant attitudes made the
writing and completion ofthis report possible. Various drafts and sections ofthis re-
port were prepared by Patricia C. Knoll, Francis P. McManamon, George S. Smith,
and Richard C. Waldbauer. The final version of the text was edited by Francis P.
McManamon, Departmental Consulting Archeologist. A special note ofappreciation
goestoVeletta Canouts, Robin K. Coates, andRuthann Knudsonfortheirvaluable in-
putandassistance in producingthisreportandtoJean C. Alexander, DavidAndrews,
and Roger S. Friedman for copyediting, design, and publication ofit. Wewould like
to thank Bennie C. Keel, whose coordination ofFederal archeological activities dur-
ing his tenure as Departmental Consulting Archeologist from 1979to 1989 promoted
cooperation among agencies. Jerry Rogers, Associate Director, Cultural Resources,
National Park Service, also has promoted coordination and cooperative action with
otherFederal agenciesanddepartmentsvigorously.
The recognition and understanding of natural and cultural processes builds upon
past knowledge. This collective knowledge changes as new ideas or new ways of
looking at old ideas come into being. It is with much appreciation that we acknow-
ledge those who preceded us. They provided the basis for today's Federal archeo-
logical activities.

Contents
ExecutiveSummary Hi
Acknowledgements v
ListofTables ix
ListofFigures x
CHAPTER
1
Reporting on Current Federal Archeological Activities 1
Introduction 1
CollectingData andAnalyzingFederal
ArcheologicalActivities 3
Conclusion 9
CHAPTER 2
Federal Archeological Investigations and Studies 13
Introduction 13
FunctionalCategoriesforAgencies 13
UnderrepresentedActivities andCosts 14
ArcheologicalPermitActivities 14
Identification andEvaluationActivities 20
Data RecoveryActivities 24
UnanticipatedDiscoveryActivities 28
Summary 31
CHAPTER 3
Archeological Resources on Federal Land 33
Introduction 33
KnownArcheologicalResources andInventoryActivity 33
Summary 38
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TheSecretaryoftheInterior'sReportto Congress
CHAPTER 4
Archeological Information Exchange 41
Introduction 41
Interagency Cooperation 41
TheNationalArcheologicalDatabase 44
Summary 45
CHAPTER 5
Archeological Looting, Law Enforcement, and Site Protection 47
Introduction 47
ReportedLooting and Vandalism 48
Methods Usedto ImproveArcheologicalSiteProtection 50
Interagency Cooperation in FightingArcheologicalLooting 55
ArcheologicalSiteProtectionMethods 57
ArcheologicalLooting Clearinghouse 60
Discussion 60
CHAPTER 6
Public Education and Federal Archeology 65
Introduction 65
ViePublicAwareness Working Group 65
Listing ofEducation inArcheologicalPrograms 66
ProfessionalReviews ofArcheological TechnicalReports
from FederalAgencies 67
ProfessionalandPrivate Cooperation 67
Summary 69
CHAPTER 7
American Public Archeology:
Current Management and Recommendations for the Future 71
Introduction 71
ImportantProgress Since 1987 71
The CurrentManagement ofArcheologicalResources
in the UnitedStates 75
ImprovingAmericanArcheologicalResourceManagement 82
Summary 86
References Cited 88
AppendixA. Letters TransmittingReport to Congress 93
AppendixB. Questionnaire Usedto CollectFY1987Data 99
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