New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 4 - CULTURAL RESOURCES › Chapter 10 - CULTURAL PROPERTIES AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION › Part 16 - STANDARDS FOR EXCAVATION AND TEST EXCAVATION › Section 4.10.16.9 - TEST EXCAVATION STANDARDS UNDER A GENERAL PERMIT

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
Test excavation projects performed under a general permit
				  shall be conducted in accordance with the following specifications and
				  performed under the direct supervision of an archaeologist listed in the SHPO
				  directory of qualified supervisory personnel (4.10.8.11
				  NMAC). Test excavations that deviate from these standards are allowed by
				  obtaining a project-specific excavation permit pursuant to 4.10.8 NMAC.
A. Test excavation shall be conducted in a
				manner that the total surface disturbance resulting from the tests shall not
				exceed five percent (5%) of the total surface area of the site or five percent
				(5%) of the portion of the site that may be affected by a project, whichever is
				less. Test excavation that proposes to excavate more than 5% of a site
				constitutes excavation and shall follow the standards in 4.10.16.12
				NMAC.
B. Site maps shall be
				produced using a high-quality optical transit, total station or alidade.
				Prepare a scaled map for each site and depict the grid layout, the datum, the
				location and shape of all features, artifact concentrations, test excavation
				units, auger tests, shovel tests, point-provenienced artifacts, site boundaries
				and the relationship of the site to nearby physiographic and man-made features.
				Each map shall contain the LA site number, north arrow, numbered metric scale,
				legend for symbols used on the map, name(s) of the recorder(s) and date of
				recording.
C. Controlled surface
				collections shall be accomplished using a grid system or by point provenience.
				The standard is 1-by-1 meter grid units for spatial control. Use of larger grid
				units is allowable only when explicitly justified and supported in the test
				excavation plan.
D. For systematic
				auger holes and similar tests, explain the placement, interval, minimum number
				of units and size of the area tested in square meters.
E. Test excavation of features is discouraged
				for features including but not limited to hearths, rock alignments, pit
				depressions, dispersed firecracked rock scatters, soil discolorations and other
				potential feature areas. Tests of features may be conducted only when essential
				to determine the research potential of the feature and fill shall be collected
				for laboratory analysis. All tests shall use hand tools and shall adopt the
				least destructive method to obtain the necessary information. Core the edge of
				a feature to determine depth, integrity and content. Complete excavation of
				features is prohibited.
F.
				Excavation shall be conducted by natural stratigraphy or arbitrary levels until
				natural strata are defined. Use 10-centimeter control or less for arbitrary
				levels. Consider maintaining 10-centimeter control within natural strata.
				Proposals to use levels thicker than the 10-centimeter control shall be clearly
				justified and supported in the test excavation plan and may be conducted only
				after the controlled excavation demonstrates the fill as noncultural or highly
				disturbed.
G. Sediments removed
				from all hand-excavation units shall be passed through a screen of no greater
				than one-quarter inch (6.35mm). Use a smaller screen size when deemed
				appropriate. Do not screen sediments from thermal features; collect
				thermal-feature fill for laboratory analysis. Additionally, sediments from a
				minimum of one hand-excavation unit comparably placed and of the same size as a
				unit that produced moderate to high artifact yields shall be passed through a
				screen of no greater than one-eighth inch (3.175 mm). Proposals to exclude
				overburden or disturbed contexts shall only be considered after controlled
				tests and fill screened to the standards have demonstrated that the fill is
				noncultural or highly disturbed. Screening all fill through one-eighth inch
				mesh is encouraged as standard practice.
H. Stratigraphic profiles shall be recorded
				by scale diagram, photographs and narrative descriptions. All strata and soil
				horizons shall be described using standard scientific terms. Describe the color
				using Munsell terminology or equivalent.
I. Mechanical excavation units may be used to
				define stratigraphy, locate subsurface features and cultural deposits and
				remove sterile overburden. Trenches excavated with mechanical earth-moving
				equipment shall conform to the following standards:
(1) collect surface artifacts prior to
				excavation of trenches or stripping areas with mechanical earth-moving
				equipment;
(2) depths for
				mechanical excavation trenches shall conform to OSHA standards for excavation
				safety ( 29 CFR 1926, Subpart P);
(3) document the location, depth, soil
				profile, artifact yield and other pertinent information;
(4) clean at least one profile with a shovel
				or trowel and inspect the profile for cultural features and material
				remains;
(5) document the trench
				profile in narrative, profile drawing and photographs; all strata and soil
				horizons shall be described using standard scientific terminology; deposit
				descriptions include but are not limited to sediment color, texture, moisture,
				content, nature of inclusions, organic content and an inventory of cultural
				materials; describe the color using Munsell terminology;
(6) examine the excavated area after the
				removal of each extracted bucket load;
(7) examine backdirt for the presence of
				artifacts; and
(8) if cultural
				materials extend deeper than the bottom of the trench, systematically auger the
				bottom of the trench to determine approximate depth of materials.