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[This website provides real-time on-line resources for the professional archaeological practitioner as well as information of interest to vocationals, planners and the general public alike.]
The political and physical boundaries which define the geographical area known as the state of Georgia contain the physical remains left behind by those who lived here dating continuously from over twelve thousand years ago up until the present. The earliest and most lengthy occupation of the state was by Native American groups whose cultures evolved from hunters of big game at the termination of the last ice age around 10,000 B.C.E., to hunters and gathers, to “Mound Builders” and farmers during the first millennium A.D. and finally to tribes and individuals who adopted a European life-style in the 19th century. Georgia’s archaeological heritage continued with the arrival of the first Europeans in the 16th century and includes sites of modern development into the 20th century.
Archaeologists in Georgia have been studying these remains for over a century and a half, first exploring the large earthworks, shell mounds, camp sites and villages of Native Americans and later sites of the earliest European explorers, Colonial settlers and towns, revolutionary war forts, antebellum plantations and civil war battlefields. Attention later turned to the study of 20th century tenant farms and the city garbage dumps of Atlanta. In essence, Georgia’s archaeological investigations now cover the entire archaeological record.
The State’s archaeological programs are varied and are represented by different organizations, agencies and institutions. Most major colleges and universities around the state employ archaeologists and offer degrees in Anthropology or other related fields. These academic institutions often conduct field schools where college students are trained in the techniques of archaeology at a wide variety of historic and prehistoric, urban and rural sites. State and Federal agencies such as the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Natural Resources maintain a staff of archaeologists in order to meet state and federal legal requirements which provide protection for archaeological resources. This effort is spearheaded by the Office of the State Archaeologist at the Department of Natural Resources. A record of the State’s archaeological resources is housed at the State Archeological Site File at the University of Georgia in Athens. Not only does this file contain a listing of all known archaeological resources in Georgia, but it also maintains a library of all archaeological studies conducted in the state.
Other groups also contribute to knowledge of the State’s archaeological record and help determine the direction and provide guidelines for Georgia’s archaeological program. The Georgia Council of Professional Archaeologists provides a forum for professional archaeologists in Georgia to share information on their activities and supports the advancement of Georgia archaeology. The Society for Georgia Archaeology brings together persons of all interests in archaeology from the professional to the layman to help preserve places and materials in Georgia that are evidence of our rich cultural past.
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The absence of known archaeological sites in a given area does not imply that none are present. There may be many sites that have not as yet been identified in an area.
Every effort is being made to insure that GNAHRGIS historic resource information is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. However, GNAHRGIS field survey data have limitations:
Georgia resources that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places are mapped in GNAHRGIS. National Register-listed resources are denoted with purple triangles on the map. National Register listings that encompass larger acreage, such as most sites and historic districts, also have a corresponding polygon in the system that delineates their general boundaries. In order to view the polygons, users need to activate the “*Historic - National Register - District/Site Areas – Current” layer, using the “Layers” widget at the top right corner of the map screen.
The polygons in GNAHRGIS should be used as a starting point for understanding a National Register listing- the National Register Registration Form and original nomination map (which are uploaded and attached to each National Register-listed resource in GNAHRGIS) are the official source of National Register information, and should be used in tandem with GNAHRGIS entries. However, contributing/noncontributing classifications within this documentation are a “point-in-time” assessment made at the time of and for the purposes of nomination, and may no longer be accurate today. To verify whether a resource would be considered contributing to a historic district or not today, and for any questions regarding boundaries, listing status, or nomination documentation, please contact the Historic Preservation Division’s National Register Program at NationalRegister@dca.ga.gov.
National Register-listed resources that are restricted to the public (i.e. “Not for Publication”) do not display on the map. Those GNAHRGIS records only provide the following information: Resource name, city, county, resource category, and National Register Reference Number.
Most historic resources in GNAHRGIS publically acccessible surveys have been assessed by HPD for their significance and eligibility in terms of the National Register of Historic Places Criteria for Evaluation. Eligibility information is the opinion of the historic resources surveyor alone.
Evaluations are a “point in time” perspective and are subject to revision based on the passage of time, and circumstances including:
In the context of historic resources survey, most field survey evaluations of significance are based on the architectural qualities of the historic resource since little if any historical data is collected during many field surveys. New information about the owners, occupants, users, or builders of a resource or about events, activities, or developments historically associated with it could always change its assessment of significance.
"No matches" resulting from a query may indicate that no such resources exist in the geographical area of the query; however, "no matches" may indicate that:
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