Standards for Field Investigation

An archeologist performing field investigation under permit as provided by M.G.L. c. 9, § 27C, either as a principal investigator or a member of a research team, has a responsibility to attempt to design and conduct projects that will add to our understanding of past cultures and/or that will develop better theories, methods, or techniques for interpreting the archeological record, while causingminimum attrition of the resource base. (1) The permittee has a responsibility to prepare adequately for any research project. The permittee shall: (a) Assess the adequacy of her/his qualifications for the demands of the project, and minimize inadequacies by acquiring additional expertise, by bringing in associates with the needed qualifications, or by modifying the scope of the project; (b) Be well informed about relevant previous research; (c) Develop a scientific plan of research which specifies the objectives of the project, takes into account previous relevant research, employs a suitable methodology, and provides for economical use of the resource base consistent with the objectives of the project; (d) Ensure the availability of adequate staff and support facilities to carry the project to completion, and of adequate curatorial facilities for specimens and records. (2) In conducting research, the permittee shall follow her/his scientific research design, except to the extent that unforeseencircumstanceswarrant its modification. The permittee shall consult withtheState Archeologist in order to modify significantly the research design. (3) Procedures for field investigation shall meet the following minimal standards: (a) If specimens are collected, a system for identifying and recordingtheir proveniences must be maintained; (b) Uncollected entities suchasenvironmentalor cultural features, depositional strata, and the like, must be fully and accurately recorded by appropriate means, and their locations recorded; (c) If fragile specimens are uncovered or removed from their depositional contexts, the permittee shall provide appropriate conservation services in order to preserve or minimize deterioration of the specimens. (d) The methods employed in data collectionmust be fullyand accurately described. Significant stratigraphic and/or associational relationships among artifacts, other specimens, and cultural and environmental features must also be fully and accurately recorded; (e) All records should be intelligible to other archeologists. If terms lacking commonly held referents are used, they should be clearly defined; (f) Insofar as possible, the interests of other researchers should be considered. (4) During accessioning, analysis and storage of specimens and records in the laboratory, the permitteeshalltake precautions to ensure that correlations between the specimens and thefield records are maintained, so that provenience, contextualrelationshipsand the like are not confused or obscured. (5) Specimens and research records resulting from a project shall be deposited at an institution with permanent curatorial facilities. The State Archeologist shall keep a record of the disposition of collections resulting from field investigations conducted under permit. (6) The Permittee shall disseminate the results of his/her research to the appropriate constituencies withreasonable dispatch. The usual period of performance for completionofa field investigationand the submission of a summary report will be one year, unless otherwise specified in the permit. (7) Site locational information revealed during field investigations under permit provided by M.G.L. 9, § 27C is confidential between the permittee and the State Archeologist. The State Archeologist may use his/her discretion in revealing site locations to appropriate individuals. (8) Violation of the Standards for Field Investigation is grounds for revocation of a permit to conduct archeological field investigation.