Site numbers

[pkfrey]

What sparked me to share this was from the recent artifact show in my area. Out of about 30 people I talked to about this topic, only two people knew this information. I don't know when this started, or what agency adopted this, but every state in the U.S., ( excluding Hawaii and P. Rico ) was assigned a number to be used on documented archaeological sites. It conforms alphabetically with each state. For example, cataloged artifacts all recorded from sites in Pa. begin with the number 36. Then the first two letters of the county is used. Then the last number is the number of sites so far recorded for that particular county. An example is the Shoop Site. Every artifact is cataloged, 36DA20. 36 ( Pa. )-DA ( Dauphin Co.)-20 ( the 20th. site recorded for Dauphin Co. I was scrolling through ebay and saw at least a dozen points with catalog numbers. One says 23PH143, but the description says New York. And more similar pieces that have the wrong numbers that don't correspond to the universal recorded numbers. In this case, 23 is Missouri, PH is Phelps Co., and it's the 143rd site recorded for that county. One point was marked 28SA22, ( Salem Co., N.J. ), but was described as being from South Carolina! Now I don't know how much of this would be a concern to our members, I just thought I would note this, in case someone is buying a high dollar from his/her state, but the numbers correspond to a different state. Here's a list of the numbers assigned to each state and still used. Someone else asked the best way to catalog their artifacts. This is the system I use, and then I just add my own reference number below the given numbers. A Shoop Site fluted point in my collection would then be: 36DA20- + my number.

[chase]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[Kyflintguy]

That's awesome information Paul! Thanks for sharing that! You blew my mind just now!For folks who do view a lot of material, thats great information to know! Thanks!

[painshill]

Very interesting Paul.

Unique trinomial identifiers for archaeological sites in the United States were the brainchild of the Smithsonian and were originally developed in the 1930s and 1940s purely for the convenience of the institution itself in relation to its massive collection of artefacts and site reports. The system was never mandatory nor imposed but since it was recognised as a good idea, it was widely (but not universally) adopted by various state archaeology departments as a matter of good practice. The adoption date varies from state to state.

These days, numbers are assigned by the Office of the State Archaeologist at state level, with each state maintaining its own records. There is no public-domain master list of all sites and several states use variations of the original Smithsonian system which are “non-standard”.

For those reasons, the format of a site number associated with an artefact may depend on when it was collected. There’s a bit more information in our Information Centre (at the bottom of the page linked below):

http://forums.arrowheads.com/forum/information-center-gc33/collecting-tips-advice-gc102/terminology-general-reference-books-gc103/107409-state-federal-archaeological-resources

[pkfrey]

Thanks Rodger, I could never find out when this system started. I think Pa. adopted that numeric system in the mid 1950s. From the Shoop Site, prior to 1953, the artifacts were simply marked " Shoop ", ( the landowners name ) and a corresponding number to be written in the museums catalog. After 1953, the artifacts were recorded as 36DA20. I guess the only importance here is, if a buyer sees an artifact specifically marked with this system, then the provenance and description must match for the assigned state number. You wouldn't want to be buying a bunch of artifacts marked as New Jersey, when in fact, they are from Alaska!

[pkfrey]

Also, if two counties would have the same first two letters, then the system would use the first two letters on one county, and the first and THIRD letters on the other county. Just for an example, if you want to take the time, look at ebay item # 252456425471. Someone will be buying a point and thinking they're getting a decent, but field grade, New York artifact, when the truth of it is, they're buying a point found in Missouri! So far in two days, I saw 14 items with state assigned numbers, but described with all the wrong provenance. Just something to be aware of if your buying, not just from ebay, but from any where or any one.

[BabaORiley]

Interesting PK. From time to time I correspond with an archaeologist from a state university. Nothing much just pics I send him when I have a real puzzler. He recently asked me if I would like a site map of numbers for my area. I responded yes I would but have yet to receive anything. Now I think I know what he was talking about. I was not real sure at first. Thanks for the info.

[pkfrey]

You may not receive any information like that. Depending on his position, and what map he's referring to, they won't give out that information. He may have a map that has state recorded sites on, and this information isn't usually given to private collectors. Because, some sites are protected, and others are sites that individual collectors have given him, and the sites are assigned state numbers. If he did that, he would be giving you information that is supposed to be confident with other collectors. In other words, if he gave you a map that had ALL my sites listed, plotted, and recorded, then you would know where every site is that I hunt! If he does send you this, he's breaking someones confidence.

[BabaORiley]

In knowing and having met and sat down to talk with this man I don't think that is his motive. It had to be another type of map he was talking about.

[Hoss]

Thank you Paul