Archaeology
Archaeology at the Department of Historic Resources
The following DHR programs encourage and
support the identification, stewardship, and use of Virginia's significant
archaeological resources for maximum educational and cultural
benefits. Select a program title or a button image for more information.
Virginia
Archaeology Network. Click on the image or link to the left for additional links and information
to other sites that focus on archaeology in Virginia and beyond!
Virginia Archaeology Month 2009. Every
October, Virginia celebrates Virginia archaeology with events at libraries, museums,
historical societies, clubs, and on active archaeological sites. Events range from exhibits, lecture series, and tours, to special
hands-on children's programs. The theme for 2009
is Seeds of a Nation. Mount Vernon Archaeology (www.mountvernon.org.)
and DHR produced this year's
poster, which focuses
on colonial gardens and includes excavation scenes from the investigations
of the Upper Gardens at George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. See this
Calendar
of Events for activities in your region of Virginia.
Teaching Archaeology. Click
on this section's link to learn about resources available to schools, organizations, and museums for teaching Virginia
archaeology. In addition to the Virginia Indian Archaeological Resource Kit, a new African American Archaeological Resource Kit is now available. Click on
the image to right to find out more, or contact one of the DHR regional archaeologists listed below.
Archaeological Site Stewardship. Do you have archaeological sites on your property?
Private
landowners and local governments can protect clues to our past by being stewards of archaeological properties within their ownership. Click
on the link for this section for
information about being a good steward.
Projectile Point Types and Lithic Types. Using Adobe Flash, this interactive module provides information and stunning images of 44
projectile point types applicable to Virginia, and 47 lithic types from
Virginia and surrounding states. The point types may be sorted by time
period and general shape. A timeline chart further enhances the ability
to envision point relationships. The lithics may be sorted by type of
stone or by general location. A Google map presents the lithic-type
locations. Reference and publication sections are included in the
module.
Threatened Sites Program. Learn how significant
archaeological sites in Virginia that are threatened with destruction may be eligible for aid if no other funding is available for their rescue.
Collections. The department maintains a repository in Richmond that contains more than 5 million archaeological artifacts recovered from sites in Virginia. Click here to find out more about services provided at the DHR Curation Facility.
DHR Archaeological Report Series. Click here to see a list of archaeological reports available directly from DHR.
Regional Archaeology Programs. Most of the department’s archaeological survey,
field, and technical assistance activities are conducted from our
regional offices. If you have
questions pertaining to local archaeology, need help identifying or
managing an archaeological site, or need educational information or
speakers about area archaeology, contact the archaeologist who serves
your region (to identify your region, go to this map:
DHR's archaeological
regions).
State Archaeologist:
Mike Barber
(540) 857-6341
Tidewater: David Hazzard (757)
886-2820
Roanoke:
Tom Klatka (540) 857-6047
Northern: Bob
Jolley (540)
868-7032
Archaeology and Environmental Review. Both state and federal laws and procedures require that significant archaeological sites be identified and considered in a variety of public projects. In fact, more archaeological survey and excavation projects are conducted in Virginia as a result of these laws than for any other purpose. As the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), DHR assists federal and state agencies in meeting their responsibility to take historic properties into account in planning and carrying out their projects. The reports resulting from these agencies' efforts to identify, evaluate, and treat historic properties are available in the DHR archives. Visit the Environmental Review section, for more information.
Archaeological Permits. Conducting archaeological survey and excavations on private property does not require permission from the Department of Historic Resources unless it involves graves or cemeteries. Any archaeological work conducted on human graves—marked or unmarked—requires a permit from DHR (see permit application forms below). Any archaeological work on state-controlled lands requires a permit from DHR (see below). Removing objects from underwater historic sites requires a permit from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. Any archaeological work or removal of historic artifacts from federal lands requires an Archaeological Resource Protection Act (ARPA) permit from the federal land manager for that property. For information on the ARPA, visit the National Park Service Web site.
Registering Archaeological Sites. In order to obtain an official state site number and incorporate information into our archives and mapping systems, archaeological sites must be registered. Professional archaeologists must record archaeological sites in Virginia in DHR's Data Sharing System (DSS). Non-professionals wishing to record archaeological information may contact the Archaeology Inventory Manager, Jolene Smith. Please note: The Archaeology Site Inventory Form will no longer be accepted for registering archaeological sites.
Guidelines for Conducting Archaeological Investigations. DHR has released the latest archaeological survey guidelines. The Guidelines for Archaeological Investigation in Virginia will take effect beginning Wednesday, July 15, 2009. For more information, visit the Survey and Planning section.
Forms and Applications. The following DHR
documents are available for printing, preparation and submission to:
Department of Historic Resources, 2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, VA
23221. In order to read and print these forms, Adobe Acrobat Reader
must be installed on your computer (free software).
Download Acrobat Reader now.