Finding and recording sites is one of archaeology’s most essential functions, supporting both site preservation and understanding. Here, MVAC Research Intern Cindy Kocik describes how archaeologists find and report sites, from project planning to choosing fieldwork methods to documentation and reporting. Following applicable laws, adhering to ethical guidelines, and reporting sites to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) all help to ensure that these irreplaceable cultural resources are treated appropriately, and that site information is preserved for future planning, preservation, and study.
Here's what the video covers, and some links for further information:
Timecodes
00:00
00:05 – Introduction
00:38 – Planning Fieldwork: Where Will We Look?
04:37 – Finding Sites: What Methods Do We Use?
06:51 – Documenting Sites: What Information Do We Record?
07:48 – Preserving Information: Recording Sites for Posterity
10:54 – Summary and Resources
Links to useful MVAC webpages:
-Artifact - What happens to an artifact once an archaeologist finds it?: [ Ссылка ]
-FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions): [ Ссылка ]
-Flakes: [ Ссылка ]
-La Crosse County: Predicting Archaeological Site Locations in La Crosse, Wisconsin: [ Ссылка ]
-Mn/Model: [ Ссылка ]
-Pedestrian Survey: [ Ссылка ]
-The Process of Archaeology (see drop-down menus for specific information on pre-field investigations, fieldwork, lab analysis, interpretation, and synthesis): [ Ссылка ]
-Stewardship: [ Ссылка ]
Links to useful MVAC videos:
-Characteristics of an Artifact: Chipped Stone -- MVAC video on YouTube describing how to identify chipped stone artifacts such as flakes, a common find during surface survey: [ Ссылка ]
-Cultural vs Natural: Chipped Stone -- MVAC video on YouTube showing how to tell the difference between culturally worked and naturally broken stone: [ Ссылка ]
-MVAC 2015 Public Field School - Surface Collecting -- MVAC video on YouTube presenting an overview of surface collecting and some basic rules: [ Ссылка ]
Useful link:
-Society for American Archaeology (SAA) Avocational Page: [ Ссылка ]
Reference
-Dudzik, Mark J., Joseph A. Tiffany, and Katherine P. Stevenson
2012 Guide for Public Archeology in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Archaeological Survey. Available online at [ Ссылка ].
Artifact Identification
Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse works mainly in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa and can provide information related to that region. If you would like information on artifacts, email a description of the item and where it was found, and attach a picture of the artifact with a scale to show its size. For more information visit MVAC’s website at: [ Ссылка ].
For information on other regions, we suggest contacting the appropriate state archaeologist from the following list: [ Ссылка ].
