Advancing archaeological professionalism in the US: the Register of Professional Archaeologists
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 12/09/2016

In 1966, the United States Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act. The passage of this Act, 50 years ago, has dramatically changed the practice of archaeology in the US; and today, the majority of archaeological investigations conducted
in the US is directly linked to the requirements of the Act and its associated regulations. 2016 is also the 40th anniversary of the
founding of the Society of Professional Archaeologists, which became the Register of Professional Archaeologists in 1998. This
presentation reviews the federal regulatory framework of archaeological investigations in the United States, and the role of the Register of Professional Archaeologists as the primary entity promoting archaeological professionalism in the US.