In a message dated 10/30/2006 6:15:28 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

think  what some of us forget in this discussion is that most of us don't
have the  time nor the budgets to conserve rusty "blobs ." Can you imagine
having to  budget for this in CRM? 


One of the purposes of HISTARCH is to exchange ideas on issues like  
conservation. Did you know there was a time in the past fifty years when some  
consulting archaeologists did not use screens at all when digging? Did you  know that 
most archaeologists only used 1/4-inch screens until the past ten  years or 
so (some still do)? Did you know some archaeologists only kept whole  bottles 
or plates when digging? Did you know that some archaeologists used  to put 
field recoveries in acidic paper bags and put the bags in acidic beer and  whisky 
boxes? Heck, some people still use tape measures and telescope transits  for 
mapping. Do you know who forced the CRM professionals to shift to acid-free  
bags and boxes, 1/8-inch screens, laser transits and GPS devices? The same  
people who review federal permits, decide when a survey or testing is needed for  
Section 106 studies, and set standards for analysis, conservation, and 
long-term  curation of collections. And, it is not the CRM firms who make those 
decisions.  The federal agency that required the people doing the undertaking (not 
to  mention the SHPO) should require the scope of work to include collection  
management and conservation of collections to compensate for the destruction 
of  our national heritage. Yes, the federal archaeologists who are driving this 
work  need to make sure that every CRM company who replies to a RFP includes 
x-ray,  conservation, and curation in their budget.  
 
Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.