| 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:
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