Fellow HistArchers:
In the USA, we generally use the criteria for National Register
eligibility to determine the historical significance of archaeological
sites. Sites can be determined eligible by virtue of their asociation
with events or persons important in national, state, or local history.
Most archaeological sites, however, are assessed in terms of their
ability to inform on questions in anthropology, archaeology, and
history.

Sites that do not meet the criteria generally are not given further
consideration and they take their chances with developments of real
estate and transportation systems. Most sites deemed ineligible are so
designated due to their lack of integrity. I think we can apply the same
procedure to artifact assemblages.

If the site whence an aseemblage has been recovered lacks
integrity--lacks the ability to inform on important research
questions--then neither the site nor the materials recovered from it
should warrant further preservation. If we can discard the site, why not
discard the artifacts?

Jim Gibb
Annapolis, MD  USA