New Mexico Archaeological Council

New Mexico Archaeological Council

The New Mexico Archaeological Council was formed as a professional association for archaeologists, cultural resource managers, and allied specialists working in New Mexico and the broader Southwest United States. It developed amid debates over site preservation, compliance with laws such as the National Historic Preservation Act and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, and conflicts involving stakeholders including Pueblo peoples, Navajo Nation, and federal agencies like the National Park Service. The Council has acted as an interlocutor among state agencies, tribal governments, university programs such as the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, and consulting firms active on projects for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management.

History

The Council traces its roots to professional gatherings in the early 1970s that addressed issues raised by landmark events such as the Taos Pueblo repatriation debates and the emergence of cultural resources management during the construction projects overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers. Founding members included faculty from University of Arizona, practitioners from private firms that worked under Section 106 reviews, and curators from institutions like the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology and the Museum of New Mexico. Over the decades the Council engaged with policy shifts driven by cases interpreted under the National Environmental Policy Act and consultations governed by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. It has responded to controversies involving looting at sites like those in the Chaco Canyon National Historical Park region, repatriation claims by tribal nations such as the Jicarilla Apache, and preservation challenges associated with energy development near the San Juan Basin.

Mission and Activities

The Council’s mission centers on promoting professional standards, advocacy for archaeological site protection, and facilitating communication among academic institutions, tribal governments, and regulatory agencies. Activities include drafting position statements referenced by the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division, advising on mitigation plans for projects initiated by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and offering guidance aligned with ethics statements from organizations like the Society for American Archaeology and the Register of Professional Archaeologists. The Council often issues comments on federal actions by agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Forest Service, and participates in consultations involving the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Environmental Protection Agency. It provides expertise on matters ranging from survey methodologies used near the Rio Grande to artifact curation standards relevant to institutions like the School for Advanced Research.

Organizational Structure

The Council is organized with an elected board of directors, including officers such as a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, and committees focused on ethics, publications, and legislation. Membership comprises archaeologists from university departments such as the Arizona State University School of Human Evolution and Social Change, CRM practitioners from firms contracting with the National Forests in New Mexico, tribal cultural resource officers representing pueblos like Zuni Pueblo, and museum professionals from the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. Committees liaise with state entities including the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Officer and national bodies like the American Anthropological Association. The Council’s bylaws establish procedures for elections, committee appointments, and conflict-of-interest policies informed by precedents set by the Archaeological Institute of America.

Publications and Resources

The Council produces position papers, model guidelines, and advisory memoranda used by cultural resource managers and archaeologists working in the region. Its documents address topics such as site recording standards that reference databases maintained by the State Historic Preservation Office, artifact curation modeled on repositories like the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, and consultation protocols reflecting practices at the National Museum of the American Indian. The Council has compiled bibliographies that cite key monographs on Southwestern archaeology, including scholarship on the Ancestral Puebloans, Mogollon culture, and Hohokam. It also circulates newsletters summarizing decisions from bodies like the New Mexico Legislature and federal rulings from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit that affect cultural resource policy.

Conferences and Public Outreach

The Council organizes annual or biennial meetings that feature panels with representatives from institutions such as the School of American Research, the Maxwell Museum, and regional archaeological societies including the Society for California Archaeology and the Utah Archaeological Society. These conferences include sessions on best practices for compliance with laws like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, technical workshops on remote sensing methods used near the Gila Wilderness, and roundtables with tribal cultural leaders from communities such as the Isleta Pueblo and Taos Pueblo. Public outreach extends to cooperative programs with school districts in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, guest lectures at museums like the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and participation in statewide heritage initiatives promoted by the New Mexico Tourism Department and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Category:Archaeological organizations Category:History of New Mexico Category:Cultural heritage in the United States