First things first, what is an archaeological site?
As a philosophical concept, an archaeological site is any physical space that past people have live in or made their mark on in some way.
As a practical matter, we need to have a more concrete understanding in order to manage these sites and research them! Here in the State of Utah, the consensus among archaeologists is that an archaeological site:
All archaeological or historic properties that are over 50 years old and meet the following site definition will be recorded on an appropriate site form. Utah’s archaeological site definition is as follows:
- At least 10 artifacts of a single class (e.g. debitage, ceramics, glass, cans) within 10-meter diameter area, except when all are from a single source (e.g. single pot, bottle).
- At least 15 artifacts of at least two classes within a 10-meter diameter area.
- One or more archaeological features in temporal association with any number of artifacts.
- A single structure or building such as a barn, concrete reservoir tank, or similar construction, should be documented as a site as it meets this definition.
- Two or more temporally associated archaeological features without artifacts.
You’ve found a site. Now what do you do?
If you aren’t sure just who to contact, you can report to the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. We will make every effort to connect you to the agency that manages that land so your report will reach the people in charge.
If you know the land managing agency over the land the site is on, you can use this contact sheet to report it. Make sure you have the location of the site, your contact info, and any additional information you think relevant on hand.
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