Archaeology, Salvage

Salvage Archaeology in the United States

In the United States, archaeological salvage projects are completed in response to a variety of state and federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act(ARPA). The NHPA is the most important of these laws and establishes a State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and officer in each state. The State Historic Preservation officer is responsible for overseeing implementation of the NHPA within that particular state. NHPA also establishes guidelines requiring that state and federal agencies take into account the effect of any undertaking on any archaeological site, building, or property that is within or is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

Salvage archaeology has traditionally received involvement from state and federal land managers, highway departments, the Army Corps of Engineers, and SHPOs. Some Native American groups have also become involved in salvage archaeology through the establishment of Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPO). Each THPO has a preservation officer who oversees NHPA compliance activities within that tribe's aboriginal territory. The Tribal Historic Preservation Officer usually oversees salvage projects completed on Native American reservations with limited involvement from the State Historic Preservation Officer.

Types of Salvage Projects

There are three types of salvage projects. Phase I (or reconnaissance) surveys are the initial stage and are designed to locate sites within a particular project area. These types of surveys are often completed in two parts. The first part (or Phase IA) involves gathering background information about the project area. Background information is gathered from a variety of sources, including state site files, historic maps, photographs, topographic and soil maps, and oral histories. The second part (often known as Phase IB) involves the identification of archaeological sites through surface survey and subsurface testing. Subsurface testing often involves the excavation of small shovel tests across the project area to determine whether cultural deposits are located within the project limits. If a site is located and appears to possess much of its original integrity, a Phase II excavation may be recommended.

Phase II (or site examinations) excavations are designed to determine whether the site meets the criteria for eligibility on the National Register of Historic Places. During Phase II excavations, larger square test units and trenches are typically excavated to determine the horizontal and vertical boundaries of the site and assess its chronology. Analyses at the Phase II level are more detailed than those at the Phase I level and include not only an assessment of what was found but also how the resource fits within the local history of the project area.

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