Landscape Preservation and Archaeology

Three classifications for landscapes as defined by the American Society of Landscape Architects Committee on Historic Preservation Designed landscapes—those altered under a plan by landscape architects or amateurs ARCH 5324

Cultural landscapes—those altered through human interaction on the vernacular level ARCH 5324

Natural landscapes—those relatively unchanged by human intervention ARCH 5324

Preservation versus conservation Landscape preservation is usually urban—but not always The author proposes that a landscape is worthy of “preservation” if there is a combination of both man-made structures and a natural setting, and the structures are a significant component compared with the natural environment Conservation is generally rural as in national parks Conservation is also the term used for the natural environment even if there are man-made structures, if they are subordinate to the setting ARCH 5324

Examples of conflicting areas in the book Napa Valley Adirondack Forest Preserve New Jersey What is sprawl? What is “highest and best use”? What is a natural heritage area? A place where natural, cultural and scenic resources combine to form a cohesive, naturally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. ARCH 5324

What issues arise in landscape preservation? Farmland Property rights Overgrowth of landscape elements 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann ARCH 5324

Archaeology Archaeology Terminology Archaeology—the scientific study of life and culture of ancient peoples ARCH 5324

Prehistoric archaeology—study of cultures before recorded history

Historical archaeology—study of the remains of literate societies including above ground such as buildings and furnishings ARCH 5324

Marine archaeology—study of underwater or submerged property La Belle, Matagorda Bay, Texas Coast ARCH 5324

Landscape Archaeology—study of historic or original land uses through vegetation and evidence of human occupation ARCH 5324

Industrial archaeology—study of industrial structures of technological and engineering interest

Commercial archaeology—study of recent roadside architecture U Drop Inn, Shamrock, Texas ARCH 5324

Ground Penetrating Radar Conservation archaeology—the use of less invasive archaeology such as digging and disturbing potential evidence Ground Penetrating Radar ARCH 5324

Two other types of archaeology are: Salvage or rescue archaeology Retrieval of archaeological materials and data threatened by damage or destruction Public archaeology Refers to archaeology funded by governments ARCH 5324

The Archaeological Process Dr. Brett Houk ARCH 5324

CRM Cultural Resource Management aka “Contract Archaeology” An industry Accounts for 90 percent of archaeology in US

What is a “cultural resource”? “A cultural resource is any resource (i.e., thing that is useful for something) that is of a cultural character. Examples are social institutions, historic places, artifacts, and documents.” “those parts of the physical environment—natural and built—that have cultural value of some kind to some sociocultural group.” “those nonmaterial human social institutions that contribute so much to the ‘environment in our heads’—our social institutions, our beliefs, our accustomed practices, and our perceptions of what makes the environment culturally comfortable.”

What is CRM? Cultural Resource Management “ought to embrace the management of all these kinds of resources, and all kinds of impacts on them.” CRM—“which one might think means managing cultural resources however they are defined—is, in fact, used mostly by archeologists and much more occasionally by architectural historians and historical architects to mean managing historic places of archeological, architectural, and historical interest, and considering impacts to such places under the environmental and historic preservation laws.”

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 “It shall be the policy of the Federal Government…to foster conditions under which our modern society and our prehistoric and historic resources can exist in productive harmony…”

National Register of Historic Places National Register or NRHP List of important sites and objects Keeper of the National Register

SHPO State Historic Preservation Office in each state In Texas, the SHPO is the Texas Historical Commission (THC)

National Park Service Criteria: A) Association with events that made important contributions to history, prehistory or culture B) Association with important people in the past C) Possession of distinctive characteristics of a school of architecture, construction method or high artistic value D) Has yielded or is likely to yield data important to history or prehistory

“or eligible” The Act requires the government consider the effects of federal undertakings on sites included in or eligible for the NRHP This has resulted in a three step process of doing CRM archaeology 1. Survey 2. Testing 3. Mitigation (usually data recovery excavations)

Survey

Testing

Data Recovery

Texas Antiquities Code The Texas Antiquities Code was passed in 1969 In response to the Platoro incident, in which treasure was illegally salvaged from a shipwreck off Padre Island. The Act protects “treasure imbedded in the earth” as well as archaeological sites Protects sites on State land

Administered by the Texas Historical Commission Created “State Archeological Landmarks”