Cultural resources are non-renewable parts of our environment. Once a site is destroyed, it is lost forever. The importance of cultural resources to preserving our national heritage has been recognized by all levels of government in the United States and around the world. The unprecedented destruction of these significant resources during periods of rapid development after World War II prompted national initiatives to preserve important prehistoric and historic sites and structures. Even archaeologists recognize that the act of excavation destroys a site. That is why specialized training in ways to conserve and protect artifacts, sites, and structures is an important part of the ethical training of all archaeologists. Adherence to standards and acceptance of ethics are ways archaeologists "police" themselves and insure that fragile cultural resources are not wastefully excavated or irresponsibly destroyed.

Why should I be concerned about cultural resources?

Information about past activities enables us to understand social and political organization, changing economic strategies, shifting land use patterns, technological innovations, and sometimes even the religious or ideological beliefs of human society. Apart from the sheer pleasure of knowledge, this understanding gives us valuable time depth and enables us to better comprehend current human activities as well as more accurately predict future patterns. Cultural resources warrant informed preservation so that they will be available for future study and analysis of the past as well as the future. After all, how will we know where we are going if we do not know where we have been?

How is the information gathered during a cultural resource investigation used?

Historic preservation reviewers, municipal planners, developers, landowners, and archaeologists use this information to design projects and protect significant cultural resources. Therefore, cultural resources serve a planning and research function. In recent years, cultural resources also have been incorporated into heritage tourism projects throughout the United States. When interpreted for the general public, prehistoric and historic sites are valuable educational tools for schools, and a vehicle for enhancing economic development through tourism. For example, municipal planners and economic development directors may wish to have professional archaeologists conduct a comprehensive survey of significant sites in their region to identify and protect sensitive areas and designate less sensitive areas for future developments. The results of such a survey could also be used for public education projects as well as walking/driving tours for visitors. Archaeologists use information gathered during cultural resource investigations to add to their existing knowledge about how people lived and changed over thousands of years. These sites and the artifacts and features contained within them are valuable parts of our regional and national heritage.
 
 

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