Summer 2003 KENTUCKYARCHAEOLOGY The Newsletter of the Kentucky Organization of Professional Archaeologists Donald W. Linebaugh, Newsletter Editor, Department of Anthropology, University of Kentucky, 1020A Export St., Lexington, KY 40506 PRESIDENT'S CORNER try to get a job with a consulting firm, you com­ Michael W. French pete with some talented and experienced profes­ sionals out there who often have a resume just a Kentucky's archaeological community needs bit thicker than you do. And if you are a manager to work together. That is a simple enough sentence or officer in the company, you usually find your­ to say, and one, no doubt, you've heard a colleague self competing with your colleagues at other firms or two rattle off with a sigh in their voice, or per­ for the same limited number of regional consult­ haps you've said it yourself. But then again, you've ing contracts. As for those who've pursued a ca­ probably had a cynical friend, an old timer in the reer in academia, the scenario is just as competi­ Commonwealth, respond that Kentucky's archae­ tive if not worse. When that handful of academic ologists will never work together. They never have. positions come open each year, how many experi­ They never will. Maybe you've said such things enced, well-published, would-be college profes­ yourself after a few beers in the after-hours at a sors apply? Archaeology is a tough profession. conference or between classes or in the dingy bar next to a motel that's seen better days on the third So why should Kentucky's archaeologists or fourth week into a long CRM project. Maybe work together? Necessity is one reason. These are you've said such things when a young archaeolo­ troubling times for archaeology and historic pres­ gist fresh out of graduate school and new to Ken­ ervation as a whole. The economy continues to tucky asked you about the Kentucky Organization linger in a sputtering recovery that just can't pick of Professional Archaeologists and what it does. up steam, and federal and state budgets are in tat­ ters. Politicians and the heads of govermnent agen­ It may be better to start with the question, cies and administrative departments are taking cold "Why should Kentucky's archaeologists work to­ hard looks at where the money is going and what gether?" There are lots of reasons to argue why unanticipated expenses are driving up budgets and they shouldn't. Archaeology, like it or not, is a com­ bogging down project schedules. And there on the petitive business. If you pay your rent or mort­ budget report is archaeology. There is the expense gage or fend off creditors while making a living of mitigating that prehistoric village and burial site as a CRM consultant, that fact is obvious. If you the environmental consultant found a couple of years ago and said was potentially eligible for the Volume 10, No. 1 (Summer 2003) Kentucky Archaeology Page 1 \ National Register, or that historic tavern where or so people in the state who made their living as Henry Clay gave his retirement speech, or that archaeologists. And relatively few people under­ forgotten cemetery where some of the first Euro­ stand the goals and process of archaeological in­ American settlers in Kentucky were buried. Con­ vestigation. How many people do you run into who struction of this highway or that flood control think archaeologists just "dig up stuff'? There is project is slowed down and the cost driven up be­ also a disturbing perception on the part of many cause of an archaeological site. Given present eco­ people that archaeologists have no interest in shar­ nomic realities, civic leaders have to question the ing what they've found and what they've learned worth of archaeological research and the justifi­ about the state's history and prehistory. In fact, I cation to spend thousands and hundreds of thou­ have been told time and time again that archae­ sands of taxpayer dollars on something many a ologists only want to "steal folk's arrowhead col­ shrewd fiscally conservative citizen may consider lections and take their land away." These are un­ frivolous. fair perceptions, but they are out there. It is diffi­ cult to expect people to be allies of historic pres­ What happens if they decide archaeology just ervation and preservation law when they do not is not worth the expense? How secure are the Na­ really know what it is we do as archaeologists and tional Historic Preservation Act and the cultural don't really trust us to begin with. To date, we've resource management clauses in the National En­ done a poor job of sharing our efforts with people vironmental Policy Act? For those ofus in CRM, outside of the archaeological profession. There these laws and a handful of others are the reasons have been some great public efforts in the state we have jobs. that could fill volumes, but we still have a long way to go to dispel the lingering unfavorable per­ The simple answer to the question of why we ceptions. should work together is that we have to. Kentucky needs its archaeologists to work together and form There is also the vast rift between archaeolo­ a united voice advocating the cause of cultural re­ gists and the Native American community to ad­ source preservation and management. Not just dress. The new Section 106 guidelines (Revised because the laws keep us employed, but because 1999) make it a statutory obligation for federal the laws protect our state's and our nation's heri­ agencies to consult with federally recognized tribes tage. We must do what we can to guarantee pres­ on federally funded or permitted projects. It has ervation laws remain in place. And we must work taken the agencies a few years to get the consulta­ to impress upon our civic leaders and others that tion process underway, but agencies from the Fed­ archaeology and archaeologists are not roadblocks eral Highway Administration to the U.S. Army to economic development. Ideally archaeologists Corps of Engineers are now consulting with tribes should work proactively to facilitate economic de­ on virtually every project. And time and time again, velopment while helping preserve the sites and at least when it comes to dealing with prehistoric other resources that are most important to our heri­ human remains, the tribes are telling the federal tage and, when necessary, to document those pieces agencies they would prefer to see the sites bmied of the story that will be lost. If we are unable to do beneath fill and paved over rather than have the this we could eventually lose the laws that protect burials subjected to scientific investigations that cultural resources. disturb the remains. This is unf01iunate but un­ derstandable in light of the one-sided relation­ We must also do a better job of educating lay ship archaeologists have had with the tribes for people about just what it is archaeologists do. I the past century or so. Many of our predecessors suspect most residents of Kentucky would be sur­ in archaeology have seen no reason to involve prised to find out there were a couple of hundred contemporary American Indians in their research Volume 10, No. 1 (Smnmer 2003) Kentucky Archaeology Page2 and they have viewed human remains recovered Kentucky's archaeological community to tackle from archaeological sites as mere data sets. these issues. If the archaeological community acts as individuals with individual goals, we carry little It should come as no surprise that archaeolo­ weight. However, if we work together we have the gists keep finding themselves on opposite sides of potential to be an effective lobby for the cause of the negotiating table from contemporary Native archaeology and historic preservation. To this end Americans. This needs to change and we must seek I believe there are six critical goals that can be ways to work with the Native American tribes who identified as priorities for the KyOPA and I plan have historic ties to Kentucky. We need to ask to emphasize these goals while serving as KyOPA ourselves what we as archaeologists can give to president. The general themes of each of the goals the tribes and ask them what they want from us. were discussed at the KyOPA Annual Business Instead of sitting at opposite sides of the negotiat­ Meeting in March 2003, and subsequently by the ing table we should find ways of working together officers and directors at the Summer KyOPA Board to identify common goals and when possible work meeting in July 2003. There are, of course, nu­ together to preserve our heritage. merous other issues and topics that deserve dis­ cussion, but these are the critical issues that can To tackle all these issues, the state's archaeo­ be summed up as the essential agenda I believe is logical community must work together. KyOPA warranted for KyOPA. I will make these a priority exists to facility cooperation between archaeologi­ and will continue to work with the officers and cal professionals. The organization provides a directors to pursue them. venue for archaeologists from the state's consult­ ing firms, universities, and federal and state agen­ 1) KyOPA must expand its membership and the cies to work together and speak with a common participation of the membership to represent a voice. Over the past two or three years we have broader spectrum of archaeologists working in begun moving in this more overtly active direc­ Kentucky. The Organization has made strides in tion. KyOPA's efforts as a consulting party on the expanding the rosters and there are now over 70 development of the Memorandum of Agreement members representing archaeologists from vari­ for the treatment of archaeological resources and ous consulting firms, universities, community col­ human remains impacted by the Louisville/South­ leges, and federal and state regulatory agencies.