Introduction: Cultural Resources Archaeology
in the United States
Suggested Oral Report/Paper Topics
1. Terminology for Archaeological Resources: Analyze the historical development of terminology for archaeological resources (e.g., "antiquities" in the Antiquities Act of 1906, "historic properties" in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, "archaeological resources" in the Archaeological Resource Protection Act of 1977, etc.) in the principal U.S. federal laws (see lesson plan for next class for the list). What do the various terms tell us about changing attitudes regarding archaeological resources?
2. The 1974 Cultural Resource Management Conference: One of the most important early conferences dealing with CRM in the United States took place in Denver, Colorado. Review the proceedings of the Denver conference (William D. Lipe and Alexander J. Lindsay, Jr., Proceedings of the 1974 Cultural Resource Management Conference, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado. Museum of Northern Arizona, Technical Series No. 14. Flagstaff (1974). Like the Airlie House Report, the proceedings of the Denver conference offers valuable insight into the concerns and issues facing archaeologists and managers on the cusp of the CRM "revolution" in the United States.
3. Archaeology as Public Interest in Federal Legislation: Review the major federal legislation and regulations, beginning with the Antiquities Act of 1906, for mention of the rationale for preserving archaeological sites as a public interest. Is the rationale implicit or explicit? Can you detect any changes in attitude or perception through time?