Our second lecture (“A Trade-Friendly Environment”) included unpublished data and the recording will be shared when our speaker clears this with his co-authors. What about sites not protected by state and federal laws? Sites on private property in Texas can, legally speaking, be excavated by anyone at the discretion of the landowner. It’s up to archaeologists to meet the public where they are and acknowledge our sensational past. When an artifact is conserved to retain its current condition, it preserves the truth of the historical story for generations to come. Archaeologists need to be prepared to preserve any type of artifact they uncover. Thanks for the information on why we should protect archaeological sites, it was very informational. Restoration involves taking a look back in time to determine how an object would appear in its original time period. ARPA sets criminal penalties at a $10,000 fine and/or a 1-year imprisonment. I love that technology is continuing to advance and that one day we will be able to excavate without doing irreparable damage. Center for Archaeological and Tropical Studies, Upcoming Investigations at Firecracker Pueblo and Related Sites in the Jornada Mogollon, by Kevin Hanselka, Top Ten Creepy Archaeological Discoveries This Year. Preservation involves looking forward and taking measures to keep the object as it is in its current state. “Normally, in a different sort of museum, we talk about correcting whatever the problems are. In Arizona that threat was considered real and there was an approach made to involve local law enforcement as shareholds in protecting rural sites. TARL also has lots of volunteer opportunities available and we’d love to have your help. We can all agree that gorgeous ceramics, painted sarcophagi, and intricate weapons are just more captivating to look at than dirt and debitage. Contact us to get started. We'd be happy to be involved with your next conservation project. But when it comes to serious artifacts and potential archaeological sites, the real fun stems from calling in the professionals to see what they … This October for Texas Archaeology Month, archaeological sites, historical sites, and museums across Texas are opening their doors to the public, to engage in exactly this kind of dialogue. Read more about laws that protect sites in Texas. Plan your visit to archaeological sites, talks, and events today! Obviously, in this museum, the condition is a large part of the story of the object, and so our goal in a sense is to preserve the deterioration,” says John Childs, who served as a lead for conservation services at the museum, in an interview. They also know that, with new analytical techniques being developed at a rapid pace, future researchers may be able to learn much more about the same site–but only if there’s still something left to excavate. “The protection of the artifacts is so important because we want them to be around a hundred years from now to tell this very important part of American history,” stated Joe Daniels, former President and CEO of the museum, in an interview. Often we are less interested in the potsherds or arrowheads and more interested in the chemistry of the soil, the sequence of construction, or the relationship of one object to another within the excavation. There are plenty of good reasons to collect archaeological artifacts. Since archaeology is, after all, a destructive process, some sites should be preserved simply because they are unique. Required fields are marked *. If you want to learn more about responsible, scientific archaeology, there are lots of ongoing opportunities to engage with the local archaeological community. When people only have access to archaeology through museums, it is no wonder they focus on the artifacts rather than the sites themselves. There is a big difference between preservation and restoration, each with their own purpose and appropriate times for application. We invite you all to join us as we celebrate archaeology in Texas and beyond. One important reason to preserve and document archaeological sites is that, in some cases, it’s the law. Howard is a leader in conservation treatment, maintenance, and assessment. This idea seems straightforward, so why is there a persistent trend for folks to focus on the beauty of a few objects and ignore the site and context? The permanent collection at the museum contains more than 11,000 artifacts from the day’s events. It was only though networking peace officers and archaeologist this uptake was made possible.
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