Archaeology and TCPs

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Collaborative Archaeology: How Native American Knowledge Enhances Our Collective Understanding of the Past" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Perceptions of the past are culturally bound, which can inhibit research objectives and our interpretations. Taking a reflective approach in archaeology encourages researchers to consider the social and political ramifications of their work and how it may affect the communities that they serve (e.g., academia, cultural resource management, descendant groups, public). Cultural resource management (CRM) plays a pivotal role in maintaining and illuminating historical narratives through Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) by the recommendations deemed eligible to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). For instance, traditional cultural properties (TCPs) may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places but are seldom adequately evaluated during preliminary cultural resource inventories and surveys. The lack of TCPs on the NRHP can be attributed to several factors, including groups’ attitudes toward the NRHP, privacy concerns, and inadequate methods for collaboration and documentation. This paper examines the relationship between archaeology and TCPs within the framework of the NRHP, the benefits of documenting TCPs, the challenges of documenting TCPs, and possible solutions for collaborators to consider when working with TCPs.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Collaborative Archaeology: How Native American Knowledge Enhances Our Collective Understanding of the Past   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38992.0