INTRODUCTION
| "The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that archaeological work of the highest caliber is carried out in New York State." (Standards, Section 1.0) |
What are cultural resources and what is cultural resource management (CRM)?
"Cultural resources are the collective evidence of the past activities
and accomplishments of people. They include buildings, objects, features,
locations, and structures with scientific, historic, and cultural value."
(NYAC, Appendix D). Cultural resource management refers to the processes
and procedures for the identification, evaluation, mitigation, and conservation
of significant sites and structures. CRM is grounded in federal and state
laws governing historic preservation. A corresponding set of federal and
state regulations spell out the general process and procedures for managing
cultural resources.
| Features are the archaeological remains of things that people of the past built but could not move (e.g., house posts, fire pits, foundations, storage pits). |
Why were standards for cultural resource investigations created?
The Standards were developed by a state-wide team of professional archaeologists to provide specific guidance for those individuals or groups proposing projects that must comply with the federal and state laws governing the preservation of cultural resources (e.g., those projects requiring state or federal permits, funding, and/or technical assistance). The Standards outline steps for producing high quality, efficient products (surveys and reports). The intent was to create a document that describes a set of specific procedures for a variety of CRM investigations, most of which involve the field of archaeology. Although recommended procedures are described, the Standards encourage flexibility in study design to meet the requirements of specific investigations. "Good judgment and common sense should prevail" (Standards, Section 1.0).
What is Archaeology?
Archaeology is one of the major disciplines associated with CRM investigations;
history, architecture, geology, and Native American studies are some other
common fields used in CRM. Archaeology is a social science and one of the
four subdisciplines in anthropology. Archaeologists study artifacts and
other evidence in (and on) the ground to identify sites and interpret human
behavior covering hundreds and thousands of years. Archaeology uses a variety
of methods to locate sites and to analyze cultural material. The results
of these scientific studies yield clues about the past that cannot be gleaned
from other sources, such as written histories. Archaeological sites are
sometimes the only remaining traces of the earliest inhabitants of New
York State.
The sites found in the Northeastern U.S. are not like those depicted
in the movies. They do not involve massive temples and stone structures.
Rather, most archaeological traces are invisible to the passerby, buried
in fields, or hidden under asphalt. We know that the prehistoric and early
historic peoples in New York State lived in structures that were relatively
small; these dwellings were usually constructed of wood and bark, the types
of materials that do not last long in our wet, acidic soils. For most of
the prehistoric past, people lived in camps and they moved these camps
as the seasons changed, leaving behind varying amounts of debris, broken
tools, and features. With the start of farming in this region, around A.D.
800, people began to live year-round in the same general area. It was not
until European settlers arrived that people began erecting stone and wood
frame structures, many with outbuildings, such as barns. Construction of
roads, canals, railroads, and clusters of houses offer more visible signs
of past occupations. Archaeologists must be well-trained in their field
and use the best methods available to locate these traces of the past that
are no longer standing.