Terms You Should Know
Antiquities Act Authorizes the president to declare historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of scientific interest as national monuments, explicitly establishing the importance of archaeological sites on public land in the U.S. legal code.
Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) Enacted after the Antiquities Act of 1906 was determined to be unconstitutionally vague and requires that archaeological sites be protected.
bias In archaeology, to favor one explanation over another based on personal culture and/or training.
code of ethics A written statement of ethical guidelines for groups, organizations, and individuals in their professional occupations.
compliance In CRM, the process of ensuring that legal requirements surrounding archaeological resources are fulfilled
cultural heritage An expression of the ways of living developed by a community and passed on from generation to generation, including customs, practices, places, objects, artistic expressions, and values
Cultural Resource Management (CRM) The conservation and management of cultural resources including archaeological sites and artifacts as a means to preserve the past.
cultural resources Any evidence of past human activities, prehistoric or historic, including artifacts, sites, structures, landscapes, and objects of importance to a culture or community.
Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of an Armed Conflict An international treaty that focuses exclusively on the protection of cultural property in armed conflict.
indigenous archaeology Archaeological research using indigenous knowledge, values, and goals as the foundation of the research. The archaeologists conducting the research can be both indigenous or non-indigenous.
mitigation strategies Steps taken to reduce the adverse effects of disturbing or destroying an archaeological or historic site.
National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) A national policy of protecting the environment that requires proposed actions funded by the federal government to evaluate both natural and cultural resources.
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Intended to preserve historic and archaeological sites on public lands.
Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Established precise rules and responsibilities when Native American burials and other items associated with a Native American burial are found through excavation and are housed in museum and university collections.
significance An archaeological or historical site that has the potential to contribute significant data to our understanding of past cultural behavior.
A derivative work from
"Digging into Archaeology:A Brief OER Introduction to Archaeology with Activities" by Amanda Wolcott Paskey and AnnMarie Beasley Cisneros, Faculty (Anthropology) at Cosumnes River College & American River College, ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI), 2020, under CC BY-NC 4.0.
