This is from the FEDERAL REGISTER, Vol. 62, no.119/Friday, June 20,
1997/pp.33708-33723. If you want to read the entire Notice, I suggest you go
to the Federal Register web site (argh! I can't find the address right
now!). All typos are mine, except for the odd spelling of "archeology" which
I blame on the gov't.
 
Department of the Interior
National Park Service
The Secretary of the Interior's Historic Preservation Professional
Qualification Standards
 
pp.33712-33713
 
Archeology; Historic Preservation Professional Qualification Standards
   Archeology is the study of past human lifeways through the systematic
observation, analysis, and protection of the material remains of human
activities.
 
Standard for Archeologist
 
(A) Prehistoric
   The applicant, employee, consultant, or advisor will have a graduate
degree in Anthropology with a specialization in Prehistoric Archeology, or a
graduate degree in Archeology with a specialization in Prehistoric
Archeology, or a graduate degree in a closely related field (see Academic
Background for Archeology), PLUS a minimum of two and one-half years of
full-time professional experience in applying the theories, methods, and
practices of Archeology  that enables professional judgements to be made
about the identification, evaluation, documentation, registration, or
treatment of prehistoric archeological properties in the United States and
its Territories (at least six months of experience must have been acquired
in the performance of field and analytical activities under the supervision
of a professional prehistoric archeologist, and one year of experience in
the study of the archeological resources of the prehistoric period must have
been at a supervisory level); and products and activities that demonstrate
the successful application of acquired proficiencies in the discipline to
the practice of historic preservation (see Documenting Professional
Experience for Archeologists).
 
(B) Historical
   The applicant, employee, consultant, or advisor will have a graduate
degree in Anthropology with a specialization in Historical Archeology, or a
graduate degree in Archeology with a specialization in Historical
Archeology, or a graduate degree in a closely related field (see Academic
Background for Archeology), PLUS a minimum of two and one-half years of
full-time professional experience applying the theories, methods, and
practices of Archeology that enables professional judgements to be made
about the identification, evaluation, documentation, registration, or
treatment of historic archeological properties in the United States and its
Territories (at least six months of experience must have been acquired in
the performance of field and analytical activities under the supervision of
a professional Historical Archeologist, and one year of experience in the
study of the archeological resources of the historic period must have been
at a supervisory level); and products and activities that demonstrate the
successful application of acquired proficiencies in the discipline to the
practice of historic preservation (see Documenting Professional Experience
for Archeologists).
 
(Note: Pursuant to 36 CFR part 61, a person meeting this Standard (either
Prehistoric or Historic Archeology) is required as part of the core staff
for each State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO) and as part of each
State Review Board. Expertise described by this standard is also needed for
Tribal Preservation Office staff or consultants of tribes that have executed
a memorandum of Agreement to implement Section 101(d) of the National
Historic Preservation Act. It also may be needed for consultants hired with
HPF grant funds and for members of Certified Local Government Commissions.)
 
Archeology - Academic Background
   Closely related fields: Anthropology, with a specialization in
Archeology, is the typical degree discipline for archeologists practicing in
the United States. One of the usual requirements for receiving the degree is
completion of an archeological field school in which the student learns
about techniques of survey, excavation, and laboratory processing. However,
degree programs have also been established in Archeology, Cultural Resources
Management, Historical Archeology, and Public Archeology. Some Historical
Archeology programs are housed in History, Public History, or American
Studies Departments. For these degrees, a list of courses taken should be
reviewed to determine if the program is equivalent to that typically
provided for a degree in Anthropology with a specialization in Archeology,
including course work in archeological methods and theory, archeology of a
geographic region (e.g., North America), and the field school.
 
Discipline specializations
   The most prevalent specializations in Archeology include Historical
Archeology or Prehistoric Archeology, i.e. the specialization in resources
of either the prehistoric period or the historic period. These
specializations necessarily require expertise in different types of sites
and different sources of information about past human activities. For
example, a prehistoric archeologist usually requires a knowledge of
environmental sciences, while a historical archeologist needs to understand
the techniques of archival research. Additional specialized training and
experience is also required for those specializing in, for example,
underwater archeology, physical anthropology (human bones and burials),
forensic archeology, or zooarcheology (non-human bones). In addition,
archeologists typically specialize in the archeological resources of a
particular time period, geographic region, resource type, or research subject.
 
Applying the Standard for Archeologist - Documenting Professional Experience
   A professional archeologist typically has experience in field survey,
site testing, site excavation, artifact identification and analysis,
documents research, and report preparation. Supervised field experience as a
graduate student may be counted as part of the overall two and one-half year
professional experience requirement.
   A Prehistoric Archeologist meeting this Standard would document one year
of supervisory experience in the study of prehistoric archeological sites; a
Historical Archeologist would document one year of supervisory experience in
the study of sites of the historic period.
   The two archeologist specializations of Prehistoric Archeology and
Historic Archeology are NOT [emphasis mine] interchangeable. Documentation
to show that someone qualifies in both Prehistoric and Historic Archeology
should include a minimum of one additional year of supervisory experience on
resources of the other speciality, for a total of 3 and one-half years of
experience, with products and activities in both specializations.
 
Products and Activities
   Professional experience and expertise must be documented through
"products and activities that demonstrate the successful application of
acquired proficiencies in the discipline to the practice of historic
preservation." Products and activities that meet the appropriate Secretary
Standards for Archeology and Historic Preservation may include:
 
     Survey and excavation reports of cultural resource management or
Section 106 (or other compliance) projects. These reports are typically
called "grey literature;" they often have multiple authors and are usually
produced in limited quantities by consulting firms.
 
     National Register Documentation resulting in property listings or
Determinations of Eligibility.
 
     Materials such as presentations, booklets, brochures, lesson plans, or
videos that interpret the results of archeological investigation for the
general public.
 
     Publications including articles in professional journals, monographs,
books, or chapters in edited books, related to the preservation of historic
or archeological properties.
 
     Presentations at regional, national, or international professional
conferences related to the preservation of historic or archeological properties.
 
     Professional service on boards or committees of regional, national, or
international organizations concerned with the preservation of historic or
archeological properties.
 
     Awards, research grants, research fellowships, or invitations to
teaching posts.
 
   This list is not comprehensive. Furthermore, it is not expected that all
of these products and activities will need to be documented in order to meet
the Standard; rather, a combination of several of these products and
activities would be more typical. However, if the applicant were documenting
professional experience in one of the specializations, the majority of
products and activities should reflect that specialization.
 
Anita Cohen-Williams
Listowner of HISTARCH, SUB-ARCH, and SPANBORD
Contributing Editor, Anthropology, Suite101 <http://www.suite101.com>
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