Due to an increase in web sites and other media used to distribute information on locations for archaeological sites in Nevada, the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Preserve Nevada urge Nevada’s citizens to remember that archaeological sites and their resources are non-renewable.  Please remember that taking artifacts from public land is a crime.  Archaeological and historical resources are finite and fragile, but there are ways to enjoy the past in Nevada without destroying it (Chiarulli 2001).

Archaeological sites are more than museum pieces on the ground, or just below it.  In fact, artifacts themselves tell us very little about the past; information on the soils of the site, the exact distribution of artifacts across the site, and other diverse areas of research tell us how old the site is, what activities took place, who lived there, and what their relationships with neighboring groups were like.  When artifacts are removed or the site is disturbed by construction, looting or casual collecting, their information potential is severely depleted, almost to the point of worthlessness.

                                                                                                                                        If you enjoy visiting archaeological sites, please observe “site etiquette,” including leaving all artifacts, and even questionable items, in place. 
If a site has been recently vandalized or looted, modern trash may give authorities important clues to investigate.  If researchers study the site in the future, it is absolutely critical that archaeological resources like artifacts, architectural features, or rock art panels, remain. 

Archaeology provides one way of understanding our past.  It is a diverse science, using several different fields of knowledge and specializations, but it is extremely inflexible in one respect.  Its subject matter is finite, fragile, non-renewable and unique to each site.  Indeed, archaeological sites are essentially our only tangible source of information on some past activities of undocumented or disenfranchised peoples. Archaeological sites don’t “take sides,” and therefore are extremely valuable in scientific reconstructions of past environments and societies.

We believe that learning about the past through archaeology is interesting, fun, and can be an important part of life in Nevada.  Because the past belongs to all of us, we all can participate in its protection and stewardship.  The Nevada SHPO and Preserve Nevada encourage interested people to volunteer with groups like the Nevada Rock Art Foundation and Nevada Archaeological Association, both of which have statewide memberships.  Visitors at archaeological sites should report suspicious activity or damage immediately to the local Federal agency (Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, etc.) district office.  When on State Lands, report the location of the resource and any suspicious activities to the State Historic Preservation Office. 

To protect archaeological sites from destruction and vandalism, state and federal laws prohibit the release of specific information on archaeological sites to the general public.  In most instances, restricted data (such site locations) will be granted only to qualified preservation professionals as defined by state and federal law, as determined by the State agency or Federal managing agency.  Written for interested members of the public, Nevada Archaeological Association’s code of ethics includes:

·     Adhere to all antiquities laws,

·     Be a personal envoy of the Nevada Archaeological Association [and the professional archaeological community] and responsible for conducting yourself in a manner so as to protect the integrity of the artifacts, sites, or other materials.

Remember, if you see a cultural resource (prehistoric or historic) on any land that is not privately owned, never remove, alter, or in any way disturb it (Nevada BLM 2003).  If you want to help in the preservation of the resource, then begin by giving the resource location to the land managing agency’s archaeologist! 

References:

Chiarulli, Beverly
2001   Public Education Committee Update.  SAA Archaeological Record  1(5):8.

Nevada BLM
2003    Cultural Resources: Nevada’s Public Land Heritage.  Nevada State BLM, Reno. 2 December.