The Federal
archeology program is a general term used to encompass archeological
activities on public land, as well as archeological activities
for federally financed, permitted, or licensed activities on nonfederal
land. Included under this term are archeological interpretation
programs, collections care, scientific investigations, activities
related to the protection of archeological resources, and archeological
public education and outreach efforts.
The foundation for these activities and programs was laid by
the authorities and protections provided by the Antiquities
Act of 1906, and the public policy of progressive archeological
resource management that it initiated. The basic policies of the
Antiquities Act are enhanced and expanded by subsequent laws,
regulations, policies, and guidelines that describe and define
activities to preserve, properly treat, and protect archeological
sites and objects. The laws passed in the wake of the Antiquities
Act include: the Historic
Sites Act of 1935 and the Archeological and Historic Preservation
Act (AHPA; also known as
the Reservoir Salvage Act, the Moss-Bennett Act, or the Archeological
Recovery Act). Most important among the laws related to public
archeological activities at the present time are the Archaeological
Resources Protection Act (ARPA)
and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA),
especially Sections 106 and 110.
One provision of the Antiquities Act was the requirement that
a permit be issued to any institution or person who wanted to
investigate an archeological site on public land. Permits
to conduct archeological investigations on public lands still
are required, although today most are issued under the authority
of ARPA rather than the Antiquities Act.
Dozens of federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management,
Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps
of Engineers, Forest Service, and National Park Service, undertake
archeological activities and contribute to the Federal archeological program as it relates to their own activities
and responsibilities. The Secretary of the Interior is charged
with providing general guidance and coordination for all of federal
archeology. The Secretary reports periodically to Congress on
federal archeological activities under the Archeological and Historic
Preservation Act and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.
The Departmental Consulting Archeologist prepares the report
for the Secretary with the support of the Archeology Program,
NPS, and cooperation of dozens of federal agencies.
The position of Departmental
Consulting Archeologist (DCA) was created in 1927 to advise
the Secretary of the Interior about archeological matters handled
by any bureau of the Department. Jesse
Nusbaum, a Southwestern archeologist and contemporary of Edgar
Lee Hewett and Alfred V. Kidder, was the first DCA. From its inception
the DCA activities included a range of functions. Review of Antiquities
Act permit applications and oversight of permitted investigations
were a main activity. Other important activities included: advocating
for better protection of archeological sites scattered over the
lands of the Department, mainly in the Southwest; preventing unlawful
excavation and gathering of objects of antiquity on federal and
tribal lands; and encouraging the publication of archeological
reports through the scientific and educational institutions that
carried out most of the studies done under early Antiquities Act
permits.
The DCA continues to work for the effective enforcement of laws protecting and preserving America's archeological record and provides general archeological guidance and technical assistance as well. Currently, the DCA is the program manager for the Archeology Program, NPS. The kinds of guidance and activities carried out today as part of this function include:
- developing regulations and policy documents, often in concert
with other federal agency officials, such as the uniform regulations
for the ARPA and the National
Strategy for Federal Archeology
- coordinating joint archeological activities and programs undertaken
by federal and other public agencies
- developing, maintaining, and coordinating the implementation
of the National Archeological Database
- preparing the Secretary of the
Interior's Report to Congress on Federal archeology
- developing and publishing technical and programmatic information
related to archeological preservation, including a series of
technical briefs, professional
studies, and guidelines
- providing for archeological training
in particular for continuing professional education
- maintaining information about incidents of looting
and vandalism to archeological resources on public lands
- maintaining and providing information about public
education and outreach efforts for the public on the nature
and value of archeological resources.
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