The State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), issues these guidelines as part of advice and assistance under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 101.b.(3)(I-) and NHPA as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 a[b][3][D], [E], [F], and [G]). The NHPA addresses in what manner State Historic Preservation Offices are to consult with federal agencies seeking advice and assistance.
The State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), also issues these guidelines as part of advice and assistance under the authority of the Iowa code Subchapter 3, 303.2(2)(g). The Iowa Code grants state agencies the authority to develop procedures to carry out their responsibilities.
This document represents a revision and expansion of the document entitled “Guidelines for Conducting Archaeological Investigations in Iowa (8/98).” The Association of Iowa Archaeologists (AIA), the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA), and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) have set various procedural guidelines forth since each organization's inception. This booklet is new, however, because it represents the first time the various guidelines have been integrated into a single document and endorsed by all three organizations. By compiling these guidelines into a single document, it is hoped that the procedures will be clarified and made more accessible to a wide variety of users.
This document presents guidelines for conducting archaeological work in Iowa. The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the development of archaeological information that is useful and of consistently good quality and is intended to provide recommendations and guidance for conducting archaeological investigations in Iowa. Since archaeological resources are non-renewable (and often not readily apparent to the casual observer), it is important to undertake investigations according to carefully devised research plans that cause minimal harm to the properties while identifying and recovering the most critical and significant data.
Each project area and all cultural resources are unique, and the different situations encountered within a project area or at a site will require different methods of archaeological investigation. This document recognizes the need for the procedures of historic preservation to be flexible to meet changing scientific and professional practices. These guidelines leave many aspects of field procedures to the discretion of archaeological researchers or federal and state agencies, and acknowledge the fact that it is the responsibility and prerogative of the project archaeologist or agency to determine and implement appropriate investigative methods. Development and implementation of alternative field procedures not discussed in these guidelines is acceptable and encouraged as long as the methods are fully explained and substantiated.
These guidelines are intended to assist agencies, consultants, and individuals in utilizing the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation standards as encouraged by the National Park Service. These guidelines also intend to facilitate the consistent review of projects requiring compliance with federal and state preservation laws by the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office. It is of special importance to emphasize that this document is not regulatory in any manner and does not intend to imply any type of mandate.
However, it should be noted here that the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA) has statutory authority over a number of archaeological matters. These include the protection of ancient human remains, the release of site locational information, the operation of a curatorial facility, and the maintenance of the state's archaeological site inventory (Code of Iowa 263B). As part of this responsibility, the OSA has developed procedural guidelines for the treatment of burial places (Iowa Administrative Code [IAC] 685, Chapter 11), the confidentiality of archaeological site records (IAC 685, Chapter 14; see also Code of Iowa Chapter 22.7 [21]), the curation of archaeological specimens and associated records (IAC 685, Chapter 7), and submittal of site records (IAC 685, Chapter 12).
Download the six sections that comprise this document below:
Cover/Summary/TOC
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5