Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024
Section 089-812-6 - GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH AND REPORTINGA. Phase I (reconnaissance-level) survey involves initial search for and location of all potentially significant archaeological sites within a specified area, or gathering enough data for statistical assurance that no such sites exist. This work includes a search of existing archaeological data for the area, including fieldnotes and reports on file in the Commission offices and other relevant data repositories; communication with local collectors and review of their artifact collections and provenience, where appropriate; field research as appropriate, including walk-over and/or subsurface testing, with suitable sampling strategy; and, for historic archaeological survey, a review of relevant primary documentary sources.B. Phase I reports will include, at a minimum, discussion of the items on the attached "Report Form for Small-Scale Survey", although it is not necessary to follow the exact format or order of items. Graphics will be clean and clearly reproducible. Photographs will be black and white, minimum 5" X 7" format, and of good quality, unless an alternate format has been approved by this Commission. Either representative examples or complete test unit soils and content records will be appended. All test units must be located on maps, or other such information provided to allow for assessment of testing intensity.C. Phase II (intensive-level) survey consists of testing a site, determining its size and contents, developing enough data to decide whether or not the site is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and to plan full mitigation, if applicable. Phase II survey will often involve research as a continuation of Phase 1, but it is focused on specific sites rather than areas. Phase II survey must provide enough data for determination of National Register-eligibility and production of a nomination, if necessary.D. Phase II reports will contain, at a minimum, the same types of information noted above for Phase I reports, but will be focused on specific site(s). Enough test unit information will be included to allow independent assessment of site boundaries. For sites that may be eligible for nomination to the National Register, information necessary for completion of a nomination form will be included. Recommendations concerning National Register eligibility should refer to federal criteria ("Guidelines for Completing National Register of Historic Places Forms") and any current commission guidelines.E. Phase III (mitigation or development) represents excavation of a site for data recovery either for pure scientific research or in cases where construction cannot be designed to avoid adverse impact to all or part of a National Register-listed or Register-eligible site. Phase III excavation will follow a scientific research proposal designed to maximize data recovery, under the principal that excavation destroys a site. The goal of Phase III data recovery projects is not necessarily to prove a particular theoretical point, or recover data addressing just one category of inquiry. The Principal Investigator must demonstrate awareness of a broad range of research goals and problems that can be addressed by the data preserved in the site. The data recovery techniques proposed must be sufficient to do the best currently possible job recovering as much potential data as possible from the ground for the widest range of research goals. Laboratory analysis and reportage must focus on a wide range of currently standard research topics, but the storage of artifacts and samples for the future should be cognizant of the possibility of future analyses. When there is a conflict between the goals of two different data recovery techniques, a compromise would be best.F. Phase III excavation reports will constitute a site report of great detail, including relevant laboratory analyses. Written language, graphics, and photographs will be substantially in publishable form.94-089 C.M.R. ch. 812, § 6