Amity Pueblo: A Different Sort of Horror

Summary

In 2011, a portion of Amity Pueblo, located in northeastern Arizona on State land, was extensively damaged by a federally-funded development project. After heavy equipment disturbed features and burials, exposing over 40,000 cultural items, it was no surprise that Arizona permanently cancelled the project. While archaeologists previously evaluated the Pueblo as eligible for listing on the National Register under criterion d for its scientific research potential, four tribes countered that Amity is a TCP, eligible under criteria a, b, c, and d. State and federal agencies, tribes, and interested parties are currently trying to develop a research design/treatment plan that satisfies everyone’s concerns. These discussions underscore two seemingly divergent worldviews and interpretations of NHPA's intent, creating a quandary all too familiar to indigenous communities and one that is endlessly debated by Academy members. Namely, considering Amity's eligibility under criterion d, most archaeologists advocate for a standard archaeological data recovery approach, despite the State's commitment to preserving Amity in perpetuity. In contrast, the tribes and a few others favor a less physically invasive approach, including site burial and conducting ethnographic assessments with the culturally affiliated tribes. Here we examine the debate to ascertain the most reasonable, ethical, and prudent treatment strategy.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Research Designs and Damage Assessments: Appropriate Response to Treat Irrevocably Effected Places

Keywords

Spatial Coverage