Code of Maine Rules › 94 - INDEPENDENT AGENCIES › 089 - HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND MAINE STATE MUSEUM › Chapter 812 - STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER'S STANDARDS FOR ARCHEOLOGICAL WORK IN MAINE › Section 089-812-6 - GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH AND REPORTING

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. 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.