Eric,

Just to let you know that my abstract has been submitted. I kept it pretty
general, as the paper may evolve over the next 5 months ...

Thanks for putting this together! It would be useful to see other folk's
abstracts, if that can be arranged ...

Regards, Mark

_______________

Abstract

Mark C. Branstner
Illinois State Archaeological Survey

Complexity Begets Ambiguity: Small Site Archaeology and
NRHP Significance

If size is what really matters, then every farmstead that
has been continually occupied for the past 150 years is eligible for
nomination
to the NRHP. On the other hand, if NRHP eligibility is keyed to our
ability to
ask specific questions about specific populations at specific points in
time,
then the truly significant properties may be those small and ephemeral
sites
that either failed prematurely or were otherwise abandoned after relatively
brief occupation periods. Using examples from the Midwest, this paper
explores
the proven research potential of sites that might have been accorded short
schrift under the typical application of NRHP significance criteria.



___________________________________

Mark C. Branstner, RPA
Senior Historical Archaeologist

Illinois State Archaeological Survey
Prairie Research Institute
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
23 East Stadium Drive
Champaign, IL 61820

Phone: 217.244.0892
Fax: 217.244.7458
Cell: 217.549.6990
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"The difference between genius and idiocy? Genius has its limits."  --
Albert Einstein









On 6/6/13 11:52 AM, "Eric Deetz" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I am attempting to put a session together dealing with issues of
>evaluating ephemeral/low visibility sites for the NRHP in a CRM survey
>context.  The focus of my interest is the all too often assertion that a
>site is not potentially eligible due to a low artifact density.  I would
>be interested in all points of view.  Anyone interested please contact me
>off list
>Cheers
>J Eric Deetz
>Coastal Carolina Research
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