Archaeological Impact Assessment Guidelines
Appendix D
Checklist of Criteria for Pre-Contact Site
Evaluation
- Does the site contain evidence which may
substantively enhance understanding of culture
history, culture process, and other aspects of local
and regional prehistory?
- internal stratification and depth
- chronologically sensitive cultural items
materials for absolute dating
- association with ancient landforms
- quantity and variety of tool type
- distinct intra-site activity areas
- tool types indicative of specific
socio-economic or religious activity
- cultural features such as burials,
dwellings, hearths, etc.
- diagnostic faunal and floral remains
- exotic cultural items and materials
- uniqueness or representativeness of the site
- integrity of the site
- Does the site contain evidence which may be used
for experimentation aimed at improving
archaeological methods and techniques?
- monitoring impacts from artificial or
natural agents
- site preservation or conservation
experiments
- data recovery experiments
- sampling experiments
- intra-site spatial analysis
- Does the site contain evidence which can make
important contributions to paleoenvironmental
studies?
- topographical, geomorphological context
- depositional character
- diagnostic faunal, floral data
- Does the site contain evidence which can
contribute to other scientific disciplines such as
hydrology, geomorphology, pedology, meteorology,
zoology, botany, forensic medicine, and
environmental hazards research, or to industry
including forestry and commercial fisheries?
- Does the site have potential for public use in
an interpretive, educational or recreational
capacity?
- integrity of the site
- technical and economic feasibility of
restoration and development for public use
- visibility of cultural features and their
ability to be easily interpreted
- accessibility to the public
- opportunities for protection against
vandalism
- representativeness and uniqueness of the
site
- aesthetics of the local setting
- proximity to established recreation areas
- present and potential land use
- land ownership and administration
- legal and jurisdictional status
- local community attitude toward development
- Does the site receive visitation or use by
tourists, local residents or school groups?
- Does the site presently have traditional, social
or religious importance to a particular group or
community?
- ethnographic or ethnohistoric reference
- documented local community recognition or,
and concern for, the site
- What value of user-benefits may be placed on the
site?
- visitors' willingness-to-pay
- visitors' travel costs
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