Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Archeological Documentation
Many of your have heard of Archaeology:
"The study of human activity in the past, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, and cultural landscapes (the archaeological record)."
But how about Cultural Resource Management?:
"The vocation and practice of managing cultural resources, such as the arts and heritage. It is concerned with traditional and historic culture. It also delves into the material culture of archaeology. Cultural resources management encompasses current culture, including progressive and innovative culture, such as urban culture, rather than simply preserving and presenting traditional forms of culture."
The two are very similar to each other and archaeologist and preservationist often work collaboratively together within Cultural Resources Management. For instance, prior to working for universities I worked at cultural resource management firms based in Texas and California. The firm was primarily comprised of archaeologist and I was hired to assist in projects related to architectural history and preservation planning. I also had the opportunity to “get my hands dirty” with a few archaeological projects, including a ground penetrating radar study of the historic center of Los Angeles (we identified ruins dating to the Spanish colonial period from the late eighteenth century).
To help regulate archaeological work and cultural resource management the Secretary of the Interior has created the Standards for Archeological Documentation, which you will read about here. (Links to an external site.)