Archaeological Curation-Needs Assessment for Army National Guard Collections in the Western United States

Federal archaeological collections are a non-renewable national resource, a legacy to the prehistoric and historic events that have shaped the nation. The American public is the owner of these materials and documentation, and as such, it is incumbent upon the National Guard Bureau to uphold the laws and regulations set forth by Congress for their proper use and care in perpetuity.
Unfortunately, for the last 50 or more years, curation of these materials has been insufficient and/or ignored. Many collections have been lost or destroyed, and many have been damaged. They are often not stored in repositories equipped and staffed for the purpose of archaeological curation, but instead are stored in closets, basements, storage sheds; very few repositories meet the requirements outlined in 36 CFR Part 79, Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archeological Collections (1991). The improper care and subsequent deterioration of many of these collections not only violates the laws under which they were recovered but also prevents educational and scientific use. Valuable portions of our irreplaceable national heritage have been lost, and our financial investment in archaeological recovery has been often compromised.