ARCHAEOLOGICAL ETHICS AND THE LAW

A Message About Respecting the Homeland of the Ancestral Pueblo Peoples and Stewarding and Preserving the Archaeological Record at Indian Camp Ranch

The beauty of the landscape at Indian Camp Ranch—encompassing views of Shiprock, Sleeping Ute Mountain, Mesa Verde, the San Juan Mountains, Alkalai Canyon, and the farmland to the north—is just one of the aspects that we as property owners treasure. Some of us have also been drawn to the Ancestral Pueblo culture that once flourished on this land. It is easy to imagine that the peoples who once inhabited and farmed here were equally drawn to the beauty and the views in all directions, and so we have a connection to them as fellow human beings, separated by 800 years or more.

When the Ancestral Pueblo people left this place, they left behind a rich and well preserved record of their life here—a life that speaks both to us as Anglos through an archaeological understanding of their human experience, and to many contemporary southwestern American Indians who feel that the spirits of their ancestors reside here today.

The Declaration of Protective Restrictions, Section 3, sets forth guidelines for the express purpose of protecting and fostering the preservation of the archaeological sites and cultural artifacts that remain here from the Ancestral Pueblo occupation. The process for investigating any archaeological site at Indian Camp Ranch is fully outlined in this document. And even for those who have no desire to excavate archaeological sites on their property for research purposes, every lot owner is encouraged to obtain continuing education in archaeology and archaeological law and ethics.

We are fortunate to have several excellent resources available locally for continuing education, including (but not limited to) programs offered by the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center; the Hisatsinom Chapter of the Colorado Archaeological Society which meets monthly and hosts semi-annual courses in the "Program in Avocational Archaeology Certification" offered by the Colorado Historical Society's Assistant State Archaeologist; the Anasazi Heritage Center; and the San Juan Mountains Association which has an excellent cultural site stewardship program for those who wish to volunteer.

At the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, a hand-made sign in the seminar room says: "It's not what you find, it's what you find out." I encourage all of us who accept responsibility for the preservation of the archaeological record at Indian Camp Ranch—a record that includes archaeological sites, artifacts and other materials that remain in or on the ground, collections, records and reports—to remember that this record that the Ancestral Pueblo people left behind is irreplaceable. We have the privilege of being stewards, caretakers, and I hope also advocates for the protection, preservation, and interpretation of this non-renewable record for future generations to learn from and enjoy as we do.

If you have any questions about archaeological ethics, please contact me.

Thank you,

Melinda Burdette
October 2008

For further information - click on these links below:

From the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center Website:
http://crowcanyon.org/index.php/archaeological-ethics-law

The Society for American Archaeology's Principles of Archaeological Ethics:
http://www.saa.org/AbouttheSociety/PrinciplesofArchaeologicalEthics/tabid/203/Default.aspx

The Colorado Archaeological Society's Code of Ethics:
https://www.coloradoarchaeology.org/code-of-ethics