Archaeological Ethics

1
Archaeological Ethics

• Two big issues we havent covered in this concept
  course
• The Status of Archaeological Practice today, and
  this includes
• Culture Resource Management
• Professional Ethics
• Both of these involve ethical concerns

Patty Jo Watson
Mark Lynott
2
Vital disciplines are characterized by
discussion, conflict, debate and change changes
in direction , whether or not those represent
paradigm shifts.

• By this definition, archaeology is a vital
  discipline.
• Through out the semester we have discussed and
  written about major changes in orientation from
  speculation, to culture history, to new
  archaeology/processulism and finally to
  post-processualism.
• Simultaneous with these shifts are major
  developments that we need to, at least, briefly
  consider
• Culture Resource Management (CRM)
• More money and more excavation, for instance
  occur within CRM than in the academy
• Ethics
• Both involve ethical practices so lets start
  there/

3
Ethics

• Ethics defined as moral philosophy, that involves
  systematizing, defending, and recommending
  concepts of right and wrong behavior.
• Ethical concerns come into play whenever there is
  a controversial issue over which there are
  different conceptions of different ways of
  behaving
• One type of ethics is known is applied ethics
  deals with specific moral issues homosexuality,
  or the environment, or professional standard of
  behavior, e.g., business ethics or ( OF COUSE)
  archaeological ethics

4
APPLIED ETHICS CONTINUED

• A close relationship between applied ethics and
  social policy. Social policy may be legislated,
  e.g., drive-by shooting
• Even if legislated, there well may be ethical
  (controversial) concerns that come up around the
  social policy. In other cases, there may be no
  mandated policy, e.g., gun control
• Example Artifacts and museums
• So, in some cases, legislated social policy
  overlaps with ethical issues in other cases it
  does not. This makes the topic confusing and
  difficult

5
Two important points regarding CRM and Ethics in
Archaeology

• Ethical behavior by archaeologists is not
  legislated. In other words, there is no formal
  policy that can carry punitive consequences.
• The Society for Professional Archaeologists (
  SOPA) has professional guidelines for conducting
  and analysis of archaeological research.
  Archaeologists are not required to join SOPA
• There also is a grievance component, BUT ITS NOT
  STRONG.
• -Registry of Professional Archaeology ( 1998)
• Archaeological resources on PUBLIC land, by
  contrast, are protected by Federal and State Law.
  In other words, social policy exists for the
  protection and conservation of archaeological
  resources. BUT ONLY GUIDELINES ARE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
  PRACTICE

6
Over view of CRM Legislation

• Origin began in the 1960s when archaeological
  resources on public land became like an
  endangered species Federal and state
  legislation put in place to control, identify and
  protect archaeological resources
• National Laws
• 1906 antiguities legislation--- establ national
  parks dont loot but no way to control looting
• 1966 Historic Preservation Act
• 1969 Environmental Policy Act
• 1974 Archaeology and Historic Preservation Act
• 1979 Archaeological Resources Protection Act
• 1990 Native American Graves and Repatriation ACt

7
NAGPRA

• Requires repositories (museums) to identify, and
  consult with relevant tribes regarding human
  skeletons and funerary objects.
• If genetic affinity can be established, funerary
  objects and skeletons are to be returned to
  descendent communities
• Genetic affinity is the sticking point of the
  legislation.

8
Consequences of social policy governing
archaeology on public land

• Sets of established procedures in place that
  professional archaeologists must follow before
  they can do archaeology on public land
• A strong conservation and protection ethic with
  managers of archaeological resources on public
  land.
• A political climate decidedly against excavation
  on public lands
• 3. Archaeologists are working in the private
  sector--environmental companies, consulting
  firms. Also archaeologists regularly employed by
  federal agencies.
• In other words, archaeology is no longer an
  exclusively academic discipline.
• Archaeologists working in CRM are responsible for
  the protection and conservation of the
  archaeological record..
• this is an ethical issue

9
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

• A major impetus for the archaeological ethics
  derives from post-processualism. Why should this
  be the case?
• Other factors that result in codes of ethics
• The image of archaeology internationally
• Federal legislation requires that archaeologists
  have professional training and protection of
  archaeological resources
• Unethical behavior on the part of archaeologists

10
SAA Ethical Principles

• The SAA task force on Ethics in archaeology
  established 7 principles of ethical behavior.
  These are know as the ceiling of ethical
  behavior
• Stewardship conservation and protection
• Accountability active consultation with
  affected groups
• Commercialization avoid it
• Public education and outreach
• Intellectual property archaeologists dont own
  what they collect or record
• Public reporting and publication
• Records and preservation paper archives are part
  of the archaeological record