In a message dated 98-02-06 12:49:40 EST, [log in to unmask] writes:
 
<< I recently was asked what US states maintain a registry of qualified or
 certified archaeologists.  If such registries exist, can someone point me
 to a source for this information?
 
 Thanks in advance.
 
 Mike >>
 
Wow, is that a simple question requiring a complex answer, Mike.  Most Western
BLM State Offices maintain lists of companies who have "blanket permits" to do
work for a set amount of time and on these permits are individuals  who are
considered "qualified archaeologists".  They may be qualified for the whole
state prehistoric and historic, only for historic, only for prehistoric, only
for part of a state, etc.  The Forest Service has some blanket permit
situation like this also for certain regions, though its a lot less
structured.  The SHPOs also have lists of "qualified archaeologists" in every
western state except how they arrive at "qualified" is not always easy to
determine.  In Idaho the SHPO has a list is companies (presumably with
"qualified archaeologists") that have an active interest in working in the
state(?).  How that translates into "qualified" if, indeed it does, is not
clear.
 
In short, the whole "qualified" idea is pretty fuzzy.  Kind of like search
engines which use the "fuzzy logic" system for finding things.  You may be
able to find archaeologists that are "sort of qualified", in other words they
fall into a broad category of what we might call "fuzzy archaeologists".
However, since we are not licensed like engineers, its pretty difficult to
determine what that really means.
 
Mike Polk
Sagebrush Consultants, L.L.C.
Ogden, Utah