Amateur and Professional Archaeologists: Who’s Who?

Summary

Archaeology in the state of Arizona has been a partnership between professionals and “amateurs,” or avocationalists, for more than a century. From an early focus on collecting “antiquities” for display, both professionals and avocationalists have followed a parallel course in the development of method and theory and the specialization of skills and interests, that today has blurred the distinction between “professionals” and “amateurs.” This paper will discuss the growth of avocational involvement and the concerns , as well as encouragements, expressed by professionals , institutions, and bureaucrats during this time. Examples will be presented to demonstrate some of the important contributions “amateurs” have made and continue to make in advancing our understanding and appreciation of Arizona’s prehistory.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Collaborations and Competition between Professionals and Nonprofessionals in the Production of Archaeological Knowledge in the Americas

Keywords

Spatial Coverage