Hey Erich, interesting query and I hope you find an answer.  If you do,
*please* let me know. In fact, this would be a good question for our
professionals in this forum.
 
Chester Bateman
Oregon State University
[log in to unmask]
 
 
>Hi,
>  This is one of those goofy word questions that can raise a tempest in a
>teapot.  I'm working on finishing up a large report.  The primary editor
>is a prehistorical archaeologist, and I am trying to explain what I
>believe is the correct usage of historic versus historical.
>
>I use "historic" to refer to subject matter, for example; historic
>Euroamerican sites, not historical Euroamerican sites.  Historic artifact
>assemblage, not historical artifact assemblage.  Historic county plat
>maps...
>
>I also tend to view "historic" as short hand for "historic period",
>meaning in our case of central Illinois post 1673.
>
>I use "historical" to refer to study or interpretation of the subject
>matter.  Hence; historical archaeology, Francis Parkman's historical
>analysis, or "because of the potential of association with Abraham
>Lincoln, this site may have historical significance."
>
>The other view here is that "historic" means associated with an important
>person or event, and "historical" means not prehistoric.
>
>I have looked through the "Publication and Style Guide for _Historical
>Archaeology_" from 1993, and I don't find a definite reference to the
>usage of these words.  Is there a consensus on these terms.  Better yet,
>is there a reference that will settle the matter.
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Erich Schroeder                  Phone: (217)785-5996
>Research Associate               FAX:   (217)785-2857
>Illinois State Museum GIS Lab    Internet: [log in to unmask]
>http://www.museum.state.il.us/0h/ismdepts/anthro/staff/erich/erich
>
>These are my opinions, not those of the State of Illinois.
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
 
 Chester P. Bateman                        Email: [log in to unmask]
 PO BOX 1558                                 Fax: (503) 752-4024
 Corvallis, Oregon 97339   USA        CompuServe: 75271,552