NPS Archeology E-Gram



February 28, 2005



President of the Archaeological Institute of America affirms support for

public archeology in the U.S.

In the September/October 2004 volume of Archaeology, Jane C. Waldbaum,

noted the important role that federal archeology programs have in

protecting archeological resources in the United States.  If you missed

this column when it first came out, it is available on-line at

http://www.archaeology.org/0409/etc/president.html.



NPS archeologists honored for outstanding service

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton presented Gary Cummins, manager,

Harpers Ferry Center, and Thomas D. Thiessen, Supervisory Archeologist,

Midwest Archeological Center, with meritorious service awards on February

2, 2005.  Meritorious service awards are the second highest honorary

recognition granted to employees of the Department of the Interior.  Gary

began his Park Service career as an archeologist; Tom has been a valued

member of the Midwest Center’s staff for many years.  Contact: Frank

McManamon, (202) 354-2123, [log in to unmask]



Conservation Service Award presented to NPS staff and other members of the

Operation Indian Rocks Interagency Task Force

Secretary Norton presented the Conservation Service Award to Assistant U.S.

Attorney Margaret Stanish, a federal prosecutor, and to members of her task

force, including Todd Swain, Special Agent, National Park Service.  Members

of the “Operation Indian Rocks” task force investigated and prosecuted a

looting ring that stole Native American artifacts from archaeological

sites. Law enforcement recovered more than 11,000 artifacts and convicted

the defendants under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act.  An

article by Todd Swain on Operation Indian Rocks is on-line at

http://www.death-valley.us/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=907.

Contact: Frank McManamon, (202) 354-2123, [log in to unmask]



National Park Service contributes to training on Iraq cultural heritage

The National Park Service assisted the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI)

the World Monuments Fund (WMF) in the successful GCI-WMF Iraq Cultural

Heritage Conservation Initiative’s training program.  The training

concerned best practices in the stewardship of Iraqi cultural heritage.  It

was held for staff of the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in

Amman, Jordan, in November and December 2004.  Tim Whalen, Director of GCI,

and Bonnie Burnham, President of WMF, specifically acknowledged the

contribution of Phil Wilson of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument as

one of the trainers in their letter thanking the National Park Service for

its assistance.  Phil provided instruction in condition assessment methods

and techniques for archeological and other kinds of heritage sites.  In

developing this training program the GCI and WMF benefited from discussions

with Dr. Terry Childs of the Washington Office’s Archeology Program about

the methods and techniques the NPS has developed for site condition

assessment.  They also used aspects of the Archeological Site Management

Information System (ASMIS) in developing the training program for the

Iraqis.  Contact: Frank McManamon, (202) 354-2123, [log in to unmask]



Upgrade to the Archeological Sites Management Information System (ASMIS)

The Archeology Program released the latest version of ASMIS, the database

tool for the inventory and management of National Park system archeological

sites.  ASMIS is used at the park, center, and regional levels for

documenting and reporting important resource management information, and to

assist park managers in planning the park's annual operations and

strategic, multi-year programs.  At the national level, ASMIS data about

the number and condition of archeological sites is used to respond to

strategic planning performance, heritage assets audits, and a 2004 OMB

cultural resource audit.  This newest release includes various changes and

improvements, many of which respond to management needs that have developed

since the last upgrade.  Contact: Terry Childs, (202)-354-2125,

[log in to unmask]



Tracking the maintenance and treatment of NPS archeological sites

The National Park Service is developing a database, tracking system, and

standardized procedures for the maintenance of its assets (e.g., visitor

centers, storage buildings) and heritage assets (e.g., archeological sites,

historic buildings).  The goals of this endeavor are to conduct condition

assessments to determine maintenance needs and costs, to determine asset

valuations, and to perform efficient capital planning and budgeting over

the long term.  Archeological sites require maintenance, such as condition

assessment, stabilization, documentation, and other treatments, and

therefore need to be carefully folded into the procedures developed.  A

servicewide panel of NPS archeologists and superintendents met with

contractors and representatives of the Park Facilities Maintenance Division

on February 8-10, 2005, to discuss how best to adapt the procedures and

database to the unique needs and characteristics of archeological

resources.  Although the dialog and work has just begun, several positive

outcomes are envisioned such as better maintenance of more archeological

sites and more accurate estimates of maintenance costs for archeological

resources.  Contact: Terry Childs, (202)-354-2125, [log in to unmask]



New book on evaluating archeological significance published

Barbara Little, archeologist with the Archeology Program in the National

Center for Cultural Resources, is the co-editor of Heritage of Value,

Archaeology of Renown: Reshaping Archaeological Assessment and Significance

, published in 2005 by the University Press of Florida.  Authors urge a

re-thinking of evaluation, a core concept in cultural heritage management,

in chapters on site assessment in the U.S., Australia, the United Kingdom,

South Africa, Brazil and the Netherlands.  Contact: Barbara Little, (202)

354-2130, [log in to unmask]



Expertise provided on archeological curation for the state of South

Carolina

Archeologist Terry Childs participated in a Blue Ribbon panel established

by the State Archeologist to evaluate and improve the South Carolina

Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology's Curation, Loan, and Access

Policy for archeological collections.  The result of two and a half days of

work by the panel was a final policy supported by archeologists across the

state.  All travel expenses for this meeting were paid for by the state of

South Carolina.  Contact: Terry Childs, (202)-354-2125,

[log in to unmask]



Archeology Program archeologist provides expertise in Egypt

Archeologist Terry Childs participated in a joint expedition of Boston

University and University of Naples (Italy) colleagues in January to

excavate an ancient port on the Red Sea that dates to the Middle Kingdom.

Childs provided expertise on the excavation and interpretation of the early

copper smelting technology revealed at the site, which is little known.

Contact: Terry Childs, (202)-354-2125, [log in to unmask]





Archeology E-Gram, distributed via e-mail on a regular basis, includes

announcements about news, new publications, training opportunities,

national and regional meetings, and other important goings-on related to

public archeology in the National Park Service and other public agencies.

Recipients are encouraged to forward Archeology E-Grams to colleagues and

relevant mailing lists and new subscribers are accepted.  Contact Martha

Graham, Archeology Program, NPS, at (202) 354-2110, [log in to unmask]