If you know the land managing agency whose land you’re on, follow this link to find out who you can report to. Optionally, your contact information so we can follow up with more information.A picture and written description of the problems.We will need the following information when you make your report: We will make every effort to connect you to the agency that manages that land so your report will reach the people in charge.
You can report that to the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. Not all artifacts need to be reported, but if you have found something that concerns you, or you want to make sure archaeologists know about, there are lots of ways to report your findings. Archaeologists like to put things back for a variety of reasons: maintaining the scientific value of a site, respect for the people and cultures who made these artifacts, and to preserve the thrill of discovery for someone else.
You can take pictures, make a sketch drawing, whatever you need to do to investigate what you have found. If you find an artifact and it isn’t partially buried or fragile (like basketry) or something you know you shouldn’t touch (like bones) you can pick it up an examine it. Sometimes it’s so they can ask their friends about it, research it more on their own, or just take the occasional trip down archaeological memory lane. You Can Take Pictures, Write Notes, and Appreciate Your Discovery… Before Putting It Back, Of Course!Īrchaeologists always take pictures and notes of what they have found. Archaeologists look at the whole site to understand the story of artifacts. Sometimes you find a lone artifact, but oftentimes it’s part of a larger archaeological site! If you want to, you can very carefully look on the ground near the find to see if there are other artifacts. However, as the digital age gets long in the tooth, we may need to rethink this and expand our definition of “artifact” even further! Now That You Have Determined What You Found is an Artifact, You Can Check to See if It Is Part of a Site Toys from your childhood, grinding stones that are thousands of years old, even newspapers can all be artifacts. Since archaeologists study what we call “material culture,” the only real qualification to calling something an artifact is that it needs to occupy physical space.
We consider that 50 years probably gives us enough historical perspective to be able to consider these artifacts as archaeological specimens, although famously one archaeological study used contemporary garbage! If it has a physical form, it may be an artifact! As you are hiking around the state, or even hanging out in your own backyard, you may find artifacts! Artifacts come in a lot of different forms, so how do you know if you found one? And what do you do once you’ve found one? What Is an Artifact?Īlthough it seems simple, artifacts come in many shapes and sizes, and may be things you don’t expect! Here in Utah we tend to think of prehistoric artifacts – projectile points, ancient pottery, grinding stones and the like – when we think of “artifacts,” but an artifact can be almost anything! Anything over 50 years old may be an artifact! Archaeologists use a “50 year rule” when thinking about things that may be artifacts.
0 kommentar(er)
