Guidelines for Archaeological Work in New York City

Sutphin, Amanda; Bankoff, H. Arthur; Striebel MacLean, Jessica; Weed, Carol S.

From introduction: "In New York City, archaeologists study remnants of human activity—structures, artifacts, and other remains—which are often buried under subsequent layers of development. Their study can illuminate and augment the information already available through historical documents. Archaeology can also be the only source of knowledge about the era before European contact and the largely undocumented lives of women, children, immigrants, and the poor. In certain situations, government agencies, individuals, or other entities are required by law to identify archaeological resources, assess their significance, and avoid or mitigate the potential damage a project may do to these resources through redesign or archaeological excavation. The Guidelines for Archaeological Work in New York City is designed and intended to help and inform city agencies and their archaeological consultants who are asking the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to review archaeological work. The Guidelines have five sections, A through E, which describe the various steps involved in archaeological investigation, analysis, and, where necessary, excavation, curation, and storage. To facilitate the use of the Guidelines by a wider audience, terms that may not be familiar are noted in bold red and defined in the glossary (Appendix A). Hyperlinks to sources that provide additional information are also embedded throughout the text. Sections A and B provide an overview of why and how the archaeological review process occurs and will likely be of greatest interest to city agencies. Section C provides a detailed overview of the archaeological work expected and will likely be referenced by archaeological consultants. Sections D and E are for all readers and, with the exception of the glossary, the appendices have sections for both city agencies and archaeological consultants." Funding was provided in part by a 2017 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (project number NY-17-21) administered by the New York State Historic Preservation Office (grant number P17AF00227) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. New York, New York is a Certified Local Government

Guidelines for Archaeological Work in New York City

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