Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 25 - CULTURAL RESOURCES › Part I - Office of Cultural Development › Chapter 1 - Division of Archeology › Subchapter A - Regulations › Section I-102 - Minimum Qualifications for Professional Archaeologists

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. The following information outlines the
				  basic educational and training requirements that a person must have to direct
				  archaeological investigations on state property. In addition to basic
				  educational requirements, the person must demonstrate expertise in historic
				  archaeology if the project is mainly historical in nature or in prehistoric
				  archaeology if the resources are primarily prehistoric. If the resources are
				  underwater, the person must demonstrate expertise in underwater archaeology.
				  These minimal qualifications parallel in large part those included in the
				  "Archeology and Historic Preservation: Secretary of the Interior's Standards
				  and Guidelines" (
Federal Register
, Vol. 48, Number 190
				  September 29, 1983) and in the
Guide to the Society of Professional
				  Archaeologists
, "Requirements for Membership and Certification"
				  (1993). A person who wishes to conduct archaeological investigations on state
				  property must document that s/he has the education, training, and appropriate
				  expertise listed below.
1. Basic Educational
				  Requirements. To meet the basic educational requirements, a person must have
				  designed and executed an archaeological study as evidenced by a thesis or
				  dissertation, and must have been awarded an advanced degree, such as an M.A.,
				  M.S., Ph.D., or D.Sc., from an accredited institution in archaeology,
				  historical archaeology, anthropology with a specialization in archaeology, or
				  history with a specialization in archaeology. If the thesis or dissertation is
				  not based primarily on field research in archaeology, the person must have
				  designed and executed an archaeological study or report based on field research
				  equivalent in scope and quality to an M.A. or M.S. thesis or Ph.D. or DSC.
				  dissertation.
2. Basic Training
				  Requirements for Each Area of Expertise
a.
				  Historical Archaeology. Historical archaeology is defined as the application of
				  archaeological techniques to sites relating either directly or indirectly to a
				  literate tradition. Historical archaeology is most often devoted to the study
				  of sites that date to the expansion of literate populations since the fifteenth
				  century. To qualify as a historical archaeologist, a person must:
i. document a minimum of one year of field
				  and laboratory experience with sites and artifacts of the historic period,
				  including 24 weeks of fieldwork, of which no more than 12 can be survey, and
				  eight weeks of laboratory work under the supervision of a professional
				  archaeologist, and an additional 20 weeks in a supervisory or equally
				  responsible capacity;
ii. document
				  a historical archaeological report on field research, prepared wholly or in the
				  majority by the person requesting recognition as a professional historical
				  archaeologist;
iii. demonstrate
				  experience or training in primary archival research under the supervision of a
				  competent specialist as documented by a report, a course transcript, or a
				  letter of reference;
iv. show the
				  design and execution of a historical archaeological study as evidenced by an
				  M.A. or M.S. thesis, Ph.D. or D.Sc. dissertation, or a report equivalent in
				  scope and quality; and
v. be
				  knowledgeable about the recovery and interpretation of both archaeological and
				  archival data, and be familiar with the material remains including artifactual
				  components and with their conservation and preservation.
b. Prehistoric Archaeology. Prehistoric
				  archaeology is defined as the application of archaeological techniques to sites
				  relating to preliterate or nonliterate Native American traditions. Prehistoric
				  archaeology is most often devoted to the study of Native American sites of the
				  time before Europeans arrived, but it may also relate to Native American
				  archaeology of the contact period. To qualify as a prehistoric archaeologist, a
				  person must:
i. document a minimum of one year
				  of field and laboratory experience with sites and artifacts of the prehistoric
				  period including 24 weeks of fieldwork, of which no more than 12 can be survey,
				  and eight weeks of laboratory work under the supervision of a professional
				  archaeologist, and an additional 20 weeks in a supervisory or equally
				  responsible capacity;
ii. document
				  a prehistoric archaeological report on field research, prepared wholly or in
				  the majority by the person requesting recognition as a professional prehistoric
				  archaeologist;
iii. show the design
				  and execution of a prehistoric archaeological study as evidenced by an M.A. or
				  M.S. thesis, Ph.D. or D.Sc. dissertation, or a report equivalent in scope and
				  quality; and
iv. be knowledgeable
				  about the recovery and interpretation of archaeological data and be familiar
				  with the material remains including artifactual components and with their
				  conservation and preservation.
c. Underwater Archaeology. The term
				  underwater archaeology is used to mean archaeological investigations in
				  situations where scuba or surface supplied air equipment is required.
				  Generally, this will apply to sites that are totally submerged in the Gulf of
				  Mexico or in lakes, rivers, or bayous. Underwater archaeology can be divided
				  into prehistoric sites, historical sites, and nautical sites (ships and their
				  related harbor structures). To qualify as an underwater archaeologist, a person
				  must:
i. document a minimum of one year of
				  field and laboratory experience with underwater sites and related artifacts,
				  including two weeks of field experience and training in underwater survey
				  techniques and demonstrate familiarity with the general theory and application
				  of varied remote-sensing technology;
ii. document both 24 weeks of supervised
				  underwater fieldwork and 20 weeks of supervisory underwater archaeological
				  fieldwork;
iii. show experience or
				  training in the recovery and interpretation of both archaeological and archival
				  data and, for nautical archaeology, familiarity with the history and technology
				  of navigation and shipbuilding;
iv.
				  document the design and execution of an underwater archaeological study as
				  evidenced by an M.A. or M.S. thesis, or Ph.D. or D.Sc. dissertation, or a
				  report equivalent in scope and quality; and
v. be knowledgeable in dealing with
				  water-saturated artifacts and preservation and conservation methods;
vi. for persons specializing in underwater
				  prehistoric sites, experience and training comparable to that specified in the
				  Section entitled "Prehistoric Archaeology" should be documented. For persons
				  specializing in underwater historical sites, experience and training comparable
				  to that specified in the Section entitled "Historical Archaeology" should be
				  documented. Persons specializing in nautical archaeology must be knowledgeable
				  about both archaeological and archival data pertaining to ships.