Marc Thompson gave me permission to forward his two email messages below to
the lists in my "To:" line.
 
 
Allen Dart, RPA, Executive Director (Volunteer)
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center
PO Box 40577
Tucson AZ 85717-0577  USA
         520-798-1201 
         [log in to unmask] 
         www.oldpueblo.org


Disclosure: Old Pueblo Archaeology Center's Executive Director Allen Dart is
a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service cultural resources specialist
who volunteers his time to Old Pueblo. Views expressed in Old Pueblo
Archaeology Center communications do not necessarily represent views of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture or of the United States.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
From:    Marc Thompson <[log in to unmask]>
Sent:     Tuesday, November 15, 2016 5:30 AM
To:          Al Dart
Subject:               Re: [NM-ARCH-L] [UPAC] what we record and why
 
It might be more feasible and less cumbersome to change the definition of
historic from 50 to 
100 years nationwide.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
From:    Marc Thompson <[log in to unmask]>
Sent:     Tuesday, November 15, 2016 1:56 PM
To:          Allen Dart
Subject:               site recording
 
Hi Allen:
 
In case you thought my response was glib, I provide the following.
Ironically I was working in 
WY when the age criteria for artifacts became effective in the 1980s. In
that state the definition 
was 40 years and that was also the number of acres for a well pad survey. At
that time nearly 
every site was defined as a "lithic scatter," tipi ring, or a sheep herder's
camp. The BLM was 
more interested in historic trails and collected temporally diagnostic
points from sites. Few sites 
were adequately mapped and this resulted in lots of dots on USGS quadrants
with no in-field 
analysis. Finding a sherd was cause for celebration. 
 
At the time, I objected to both the age definition of a historic artifact
and the 40- acre survey 
requirement. I have always held that the US Customs definition of an
antique, 100 years old, in 
1930 was sufficient. This becomes even more apparent when an archaeologist
reaches the age of 
50 years. Both the 40-year age definition and 40-acre well pad demand caused
problems with 
land owners and energy companies. Who couldn't find 40-yea -old or older
artifacts in any given 
40 acre plot?
 
 
Regards,
 
Marc