Publications in Salvage Archeology, No. 1 - 13

The Publications in Salvage Archeology series was published by the Smithsonian Institution River Basins Salvage (RBS) program between 1966 and 1969. The series was designed to report the results of investigation carried out under the federal archaeological salvage program. The series took over publication of final reports from the RBS, which formerly were published (beginning in 1953) as part of the reports of the Bureau of American Ethnology, Smithsonian Institution. The initial series was entitled, the River Basin Surveys Papers, and was intended to report the results of investigations carried out under the Inter-Agency Archeological and Paleontological Salvage Program.

Over the ensuing years the series made a solid contribution to the primary data of American archeology. With Number 39 (BAE Bulletin 198), the publication of the River Basin Surveys Papers ceased. The Inter-Agency Archeological and Paleontological Salvage program, since its inception in 1946, was sponsored, administered and funded by the U. S. National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Under terms of an agreement concluded in 1946 (amended 1961, 1964) between the National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution, the former is responsible for overall planning, programming, funding and administration of the program. The Smithsonian Institution acts in a dual capacity: as advisor to the National Park Service in the planning and programming stages, and as one of the major cooperators in carrying out the actual archaeological investigations in the field. State, local and private agencies as well have given their time, personnel and funds. Their contribution has been essential to the success of the program. Publications in Salvage Archeology is intended to provide an outlet for salvage investigations in general, not just for the work of the Smithsonian.