Technical Briefs

These short reports address technical, methodological, and substantive issues in public archeology and ethnography.

Technical Brief 1: Filter Fabric: A Technique for Short-Term Site Stabilization. Thorne, Robert M. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1988.

Filter fabrics have been available for several years and are used most frequently as an underliner for roadbeds and in other construction related activities. These materials are produced both as woven and nonwoven fabrics and are available in varying weights and porosities.

Technical Brief 2: Arizona Archeology Week: Promoting the Past to the Public. Hoffman, Theresa L. and Shereen Lerner. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1988.

The development of Arizona Archaeology Week reflects a continuing tradition of commitment to public awareness and involvement. Taking place in the spring of each year, Archaeology Week is a program of events oriented toward informing the public about archeology in the state and involving them in archeological activities. This program has developed into a major public relations effort which involves over 40 different Federal, State, municipal and private organizations.

Technical Brief 3: Archeology in the National Historic Landmarks Program. Grumet, Robert S. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1988.

Learn about the NHL Program; the process by which NHLs are identified, nominated, and designated; the major issues involving NHL prehistoric and historic archeological resources;, and how the NHL Program can help to meet the challenge confronting our national archeological heritage.

Technical Brief 4: Archeology in the Classroom: A Case Study from Arizona. Rogge A.E., and Patti Bell. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1989.

Arizona archeologists have been in the forefront of much of this "cops and robbers" approach to protecting archeological resources, but they have also come to realize the benefits of a more positive longer range tactic. Taking steps to educate the general public about the values of archeological resources and to instill a sense of why it is important to protect them may do more to conserve our cultural resources than threats of fines or jail sentences.

Technical Brief 5: Intentional Site Burial: A Technique to Protect Against Natural or Mechanical Loss. Thorne, Robert M. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1989.

In an absolute sense, the preservation of archeological sites is an unattainable goal, since the aging process of all materials is ongoing. Techniques are available, however, to retard losses to site integrity that are the result of natural and/or cultural processes. To the extent that the processes that cause these losses can be slowed, resources can be stabilized and protected, and in that sense, preserved. Intentional site burial is offered as another of several alternatives that may prove to be appropriate means of achieving that goal.

Technical Brief 6: The Kentucky Archaeological Registry: Landowner Participation in Site Preservation. Henderson, A. Gywnn. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1989.

The Kentucky Archaeological Registry (Registry), a program that involves landowners in the preservation and protection of Kentucky's significant archeological sites, was developed and implemented in 1987. The preservation of sites on private property was especially targeted during the Registry's first two years of operation due to the lack of legal protection available for such sites.

Technical Brief 7: Federal Archeological Contracting: Utilizing the Competitive Procurement Process. Jameson, Jr. John H., John E. Ehrenhard, and Wilfred M. Husted. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1990.

This Technical Brief outlines the Federal procurement process in archeology by emphasizing the utility and importance of the Request for Proposal (RFP) type of competitive procurement. While centering attention on Section C, the Scope of Work (SOW), important considerations in Sections F, H, L, and M are discussed also.

Technical Brief 8: Revegetation: The Soft Approach to Archeological Site Stabilization. Thorne, Robert M. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1990.

This Technical Brief is the third in a series that addresses the issues of archeological site stabilization and protection. The use of vegetation always should be considered a viable means of site protection when developing a set of stabilization alternatives.

Technical Brief 9: Volunteers in Archeology. Davis, Hester. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1990.

Involvement of the public in archeology can and has taken many forms. This technical brief outlines various approaches taken by archeologists to work with volunteers.

Technical Brief 10: The National Historic Landmarks Program Theme Study as a Preservation Planning Tool. Grume, Robert S. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1990.

This Technical Brief describes how National Historic Landmarks (NHL) Survey theme studies can be combined with basic elements of historic preservation planning to create a comprehensive framework for identification, evaluation, designation, and treatment of nationally significant archeological properties. An example, the "Historic Contact Period in the Northeast United States" NHL theme study, currently being prepared by National Park Service (NPS) Mid-Atlantic Region staff, will be used to demonstrate this process.

Technical Brief 11: Legal Background of Archeological Resources Protection. Carnett, Carol. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1991.

This Technical Brief describes the legal background and case histories for archeological protection. Its purpose is to provide a convenient summary of archeological protection and preservation as an issue in law and jurisprudence that will be of use to jurists who may need assistance in casework.

Technical Brief 12: Site Stabilization Information Sources. Thorne, Robert M. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1991.

This Technical Brief is the fourth in a series that addresses the issues of archeological site stabilization and protection. This one is about information exchange, which is part of the goal to foster interaction among governmental agencies, professionals, and the private sector.

Technical Brief 13: Managing Archeological Resources from the Museum Perspective. Sullivan, Lynne. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1992.

Federal agencies are responsible for archeological collections acquired from Federal lands and through Federally sponsored or permitted projects. With the promulgation of 36 CFR Part 79, Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archeological Collections, Federal agencies now have formal guidance about how to meet their statutory obligations for collections management.

Technical Brief 14: The Peer Review of Public Archeology Projects: A Procedure Developed by the Departmental Consulting Archeologist. Keel, Bennie C. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1993.

The purpose of this Technical Brief is to provide guidance to government agencies and other archeological resources management programs on use of the peer review process as one tool to improve the effectiveness of their activities. It may be an especially important tool to help resolve conflicts which may arise due to the need for interagency cooperation, the complexity of the archeological work, or professional disagreements. This Technical Brief demonstrates how peer reviews can address these typical problems and explains ways the process can be implemented.

Technical Brief 15: State Archeology Weeks: Interpreting Archeology for the Public (Revised in 1999 for the Internet). Greengrass, Mara. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1993.

The first state archeology week was organized by Arizona in 1983. Originally, the program consisted of a small exhibit and a few events with limited publicity. It has grown to a month-long celebration that includes an Archaeology Expo, a fair where the public may view demonstrations, tour ancient sites, and view living history events.

Technical Brief 16: The Civil Prosecution Process of the Archeological Resources Protection Act. Hutt, Sherry. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1994.

This Technical Brief details the procedure for pursuing a civil violation of ARPA through the administrative law process. Its purpose is to provide a succinct blueprint for use by land managing agencies when civil prosecution under the law is the desired option.

Technical Brief 17: Developing an Archeological Site Conservation Database. Thorne, Robert M. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 1996.

Though the conservation and long-term management of archeological sites is now generally accepted wisdom, it, wasn't always so. A traditional bias toward excavation and the keeping of only basic site data has had effects that linger on today. This brief addresses the care of archeological sites over time, with accompanying forms to help in planning for a site's future.

Technical Brief 18: Protecting Archeological Sites on Eroding Shorelines: A Hay Bales Approach. Thorne, Robert M. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 2004.

Federal laws and regulations encourage preserving archeological sites in place when they are threatened by roadbuilding, reservoir construction, and the like. A resource-specific conservation plan, carefully designed and implemented, substantially reduces management costs. At the same time, the plan can be aesthetically pleasing while serving to enhance other aspects of the surroundings. There are many alternatives one can employ to stabilize sites and shorelines.

Technical Brief 19: Archeological Collections and the Public: Using Resources for the Public Benefit. Moyer, Teresa S. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 2006.

This technical brief outlines some of the public benefits of archeological collections as seen by the managers of collections repositories across the nation. Case studies show many ways that curators find archeological collections to benefit audiences with different interests and needs.

Technical Brief 20: Archeological Resource Damage Assessment: Legal Basis and Methods. McAllister, Martin E. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 2007.

This technical brief describes and explains the archeological resource damage assessment process. The legal foundation for and the necessity of archeological damage assessments is described, as are the procedures for field damage assessment, value and cost determinations, and report preparation.

Technical Brief 21: Peer Review of Federal Archeological Projects and Programs. Keel, Bennie, Barbara J. Little, Martha Graham, Mary Carroll, and Francis P. McManamon. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 2007.

This Technical Brief describes objectives, organization, and methods that have been used to conduct peer reviews in public archeology projects and programs. It updates guidance and suggested procedures for government agencies and other archeological resources management organizations regarding the use of the peer review process as a means of improving the effectiveness of their projects and programs.

Technical Brief 22: Developing and Implementing Archeological Site Stewardship Programs. Kelly, Sophia. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 2007.

Archeological site stewardship programs can be a valuable component of protection plans for archeological resources on both public and private lands. This technical brief explores the necessary components of successful development and implementation of an archeological site stewardship program.

Technical Brief 23: Archeology and Civic Engagement. Little, Barbara J. and Nathaniel Amdur-Clark. DOI Departmental Consulting Archeologist/NPS Archeology Program. National Park Service. Washington DC. 2008.

In the United States and elsewhere, efforts to strengthen communities and democratic processes, as well as promote public dialogue, rely upon active citizen engagement in community and civic life through the creation of social capital. This technical brief provides explanations of civic engagement and social capital as well as case studies and suggestions for ways that archeologists can participate and contribute to the creation of social capital.