Unique Areas of Interest and Concern

Statement of Purpose

The Archaeobotany Interest Group focuses on fostering a community and network for SAA members interested in a broad range of professional and scholarly issues in the field of archaeobotany/paleoethnobotany, and its related disciplines.  All members are welcome to partake regardless of academic or professional standing.  There will be no charge to join this group.

Objectives

Archaeobotany, also called paleoethnobotany, has been a small but rapidly expanding subdiscipline in archaeology over the past forty years.  Investigating past plant-human relationships has increasingly been seen as not just important but crucial in the interpretation of most past investigations, as well as core to many of the food and sustainability issues facing the world today.  The number of faculty teaching this topic throughout the Americas has increased in recent years, as more positions in this field have appeared in both academia and in professional settings.  Many CRM companies employ archaeobotanists, and archaeobotanical research is sometimes a required component of cultural resource management.  While there have been symposia and forums at the SAA meetings (including, every four years, a Fryxell session), there has never been a focused time and place for both professionals and students of this important subdiscipline to meet and discuss the pros and cons of methods, sampling, data presentation, and interpretation of our data to move this discipline and archaeology forward.  The time has come to create such a group, especially so that students can join in without having to be invited by a senior scholar, as is common to join in a symposium or forum.  Such a group will make exchange more democratic as anyone who attends the SAA meetings can come to the interest group gathering that the SAA sets up on Friday evenings.

The Archaeobotany Interest Group has the following objectives:

• to promote the study, understanding, and importance of contemporary archaeobotany and its related sub-fields
• to facilitate the development of collaborations and networks across archaeobotanists nationally and internationally
• to promote the development of community-based and collaborative archaeobotanical research, that works closely with descendant communities
• to provide support to students and junior professional members through mentorship and guidance
• to promote professional ethics in the training of archaeobotanists and others who work with archaeological plant remains
• to encourage public engagement and community outreach and the broader dissemination of archaeobotanical research 
• to serve as a voice and point of contact for SAA members interested in issues related to archaeobotany in order to facilitate communication and awareness of current news, public policies, ethical concerns, and announcements

Activities

• the Archaeobotany Interest Group will hold an annual gathering(s) at the SAA Annual Meeting (with a formal meeting typically after the SAA annual evening business meeting Friday 7-8pm)
• the group will submit an annual report of activities/members to the SAA Board of Directors as requested
• to sponsor sessions, forums, symposia, workshops during the annual SAA meeting
• to provide a forum to distribute information on professional and academic opportunities (grants, fellowships, scholarships, field schools, pertinent legislation, and conferences)
• to include and encourage students, professional archaeologists, museum curators, and public interest groups in the Archaeobotany Interest Group activities and discussions
• the group may propose positions and/or policy statements for consideration through the Executive Director of SAA Board of Directors
• the group may publish an enewsletter or sponsor a special publication of the Archaeobotany Interest Group with the SAA Publications Committee

Procedure for selecting and rotating an organizer 

The organizer/co-organizers will be rotated through the members, with an individual(s) holding the position for four years. At the first interest group meeting we will vote in an organizer/co-organizers.  During the fourth year at the annual Archaeobotany Interest Group business meeting, the group will elect a new organizer or co-organizers for the next term by those in attendance, going forward.  At the annual Archaeobotany Interest Group business meeting, there will be an open discussion, and a general election of the nominees by vote of enrolled members of the interest group who are present at the gathering. Through this process, organizer/co-organizers will be elected as the position will rotate among interested member(s).

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the SAA is “advancing archaeology, preservation, and practice.” In light of this statement and the considerations summarized below, the purpose of an Archaeological Taxonomy Interest Group will be to set a course for the reform of archaeological practice in taxonomy such that it becomes an orderly process that is concise, precise, standardized, expandible, productive, and subject to careful and constant revision. An important goal is to identify and promote best practices that will lead to general improvement of our unstandardized and immature point taxonomy specifically and archaeological systematics generally.

Area of Concern

We are mindful that the current state of archaeological taxonomy is such that it more often impedes than facilitates the kind of research in which we share an interest. Some of us have spent time assessing what has gone wrong and what can be done to improve matters so that meaningful research will be better facilitated going forward. I have compiled an electronic inventory of 2519 North American point “types” from standard sources. Of these, only about a hundred are useful for the kind of research several of the listed members have been doing. How do we reorganize the current taxonomic chaos and promote principles and practices that will encourage further improvements that will foster rather than impede new research?

Needs to be Addressed

A major reason a new interest group and an e-community arising from it are necessary is that typology traditionally has been a particularly rambling and disorganized process in archaeology. The 2500+ projectile point types currently defined for North America range from a type as clearly and verifiably defined as Clovis to rare undated types of only very limited local utility. This result is so daunting that many in the next generation of archaeologists have given up trying to work with it.

Archaeologists have long used verbose narratives to present their conclusions. Uncertainty is typically expressed through lengthy equivocation. This style of writing accommodates caution and a myriad of alternative explanations. Although it can be appealing to a literary audience, it is the opposite of concise, which in turn renders it scientifically unsatisfying. A better solution is to promote clarity, brevity, and precision, along with the explicit understanding that knowledge is temporary and subject to constant revision based on the appearance of new evidence.

Prior to the development of radiocarbon and other techniques for the independent dating of archaeological materials, point types we used mainly to build chronologies. Key types were used as evidence of contemporaneity between stratified sites. A key type found at two or more sites allowed researcher to assume that the strata in which they were found were contemporaneous. This technique, called “cross dating,” is analogous to the use of index fossils by geologists. In both cases it was used to create relative chronologies before the development of techniques for the independent determination of calendrical dates were developed. The time when we should have moved past this pre-radiocarbon paradigm is long past and we need to find a solution through collaborative effort.

A quick scan of the contents of recent issues of American Antiquity reveals notable cases where projectile point types have been used to explore topics such as technology and paleodemography. We seek to reform standard practices so they facilitate rather than impede such new research efforts.

Services and Activities

Specific services of the interest group will be identified as we move forward. These will favor open access solutions to specific problems. We note that several committed participants are employed by full members of the Coalition of Open Access Policy Institutions (COAPI). We anticipate that those institutions will provide sufficient support through their existing commitments to archaeological research and publication. A major objective of the interest group will be to identify and seek support for the kinds of online resources and open access publications the SAA, Open Context, and COAPI institutions are already committed to foster.

We anticipate the eventual development of an online database. There is also the possibility of publication(s), but it is too early to predict specific publication outcomes. In any case, we intend to encourage online resources and open access publications.

Statement of Purpose

The Archaeologist-Collector Collaboration Interest Group (ACCIG) serves as a vehicle for all ethical stewards of past material culture—regardless of level of formal archaeological training—to cultivate, nurture and advance collaborative undertakings that benefit the archaeological record and understanding thereof.

Area of interest and concern

At the request of the SAA Board of Directors, a 2016 SAA Task Force (TF) studied and submitted formal recommendations to the Board outlining how archaeologists can effectively and ethically collaborate with non-professionals, including artifact collectors with legally acquired materials. Also at SAA’s behest, the TF identified “action items” designed to facilitate and nurture such relationships. Among other suggestions, the TF recommended formation of an SAA Interest Group to serve as a vehicle for those interested in advancing collaborative relationships.

Needs the interest group will address

As the TF elaborated in its final report to the SAA Board, relationships among professional archaeologists and avocational archaeologists (some of who legally collect artifacts), have become increasingly strained over the past few decades. Because much of the physical archaeological record of the Americas is in private hands, it is detrimental to the discipline for archaeologists to refuse to collaborate with such individuals, as an increasing number have done. The interest group will provide a space for what were once standard (and positive) relationships among diverse archaeological stakeholders to once again grow strong.   

Members of the interest group will identify specific challenges to stakeholder relationships and to the privately held archaeological record, and develop and implement solutions to them. Examples of challenges include ensuring that private collections throughout the Americas (as feasible) are documented in as much detail as possible; developing best practices for archaeologists and partners to foster site preservation and collaboration; and educating graduate students and professional archaeologists in appropriate ways to engage with responsible members of the artifact-collecting public.

Services the interest group will deliver

As the group identifies challenges to relationships among stakeholders who share a passion for the past and challenges to that portion of the archaeological record in private hands, and it will also develop and implement solutions to those challenges. The solutions will be the group’s principal “deliverables.” The group will also host regular SAA forums to report on progress, raise awareness of the group among prospective members, and identify new member-defined priorities. No fee will be required to join. If an interest-group undertaking will require financial resources, the group will determine how to acquire them.

Procedure for selecting and rotating a chairperson

The chairperson or co-chairs will serve a term of two years. At the culmination of a leadership term, the chair (or co-chairs) will poll members of the group via e-mail, first to determine interest in the position and then, if more than one member has expressed interest, to vote for the incoming chair.

e-Community

Members can access any  e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Statement of Purpose

The Bioarchaeology Interest Group focuses on fostering a community and network for SAA members interested in a broad range of professional and scholarly issues in the field of bioarchaeology, and its related disciplines, such as mortuary/funerary archaeology, forensic anthropology/archaeology, and osteoarchaeology. All members are welcome to partake regardless of academic or professional standing.

Objectives

Bioarchaeology is a vibrant and rapidly growing field, with a substantial number of current SAA members engaged in related work. Researchers in bioarchaeology and related sub-fields regularly contribute to a growing number of theoretically and methodologically focused podium and poster sessions at the annual society meetings. The Bioarchaeology Interest Group has the following objectives:

• to promote the study, understanding, and importance of contemporary bioarchaeology and its related sub-fields
• to facilitate the development of collaborations and networks across bioarchaeologists nationally and internationally
• to promote the development of community-based and collaborative bioarchaeological research, that works closely with descendant communities
• to provide support to students and junior professional members through mentorship and guidance.
• to promote professional ethics in the training of bioarchaeologists and others who work with human remains
• to encourage public engagement and community outreach and the broader dissemination of bioarchaeological research
• to serve as a voice and point of contact for SAA members interested in issues related to bioarchaeology in order to facilitate communication and awareness of current news, public policies, ethical concerns, and announcements

Activities

• the Bioarchaeology Interest Group will hold an annual gathering(s) at the SAA Annual Meeting (with a formal meeting typically after the SAA annual evening business meeting Friday 7-8pm)
• the group will submit an annual report of activities/members to the SAA Board of Directors as requested
• to sponsor sessions, forums, symposia, workshops, and social and networking events during the annual SAA meeting
• to provide a forum to distribute information on current bioarchaeology field schools
• to provide a forum to distribute information on professional and academic funding opportunities (grants, fellowships, scholarships, field school funding) in bioarchaeology
• to include and encourage students, professional archaeologists, museum curators, and public interest groups in the Bioarchaeology Interest Group activities and discussions
• to disseminate announcements regarding grants, awards, pertinent legislation, and conferences via the SAA interest group webpage with iMIS Communities, and/or e-mail, and social media platforms
• the group may propose positions and/or policy statements for consideration through the Executive Director of SAA Board of Directors.
• the group may publish a newsletter or sponsor a special publication of the Bioarchaeology Interest Group with the SAA Publications Committee

Procedure for selecting and rotating a chairperson

A system of rotating Chair(s) every three years will be implemented. Candidates will be solicited by a call for nominations on email prior to the annual SAA spring meetings. With those in attendance at the annual Bioarchaeology Interest Group

business meeting, there will be an open discussion, and a general election of the nominees by vote of enrolled members of the interest group who are present at the gathering. Through this process a Chair(s) will be elected and the position will rotate among interested member(s).

Statement of Purpose

The Curation Interest Group (CIG) is organized to promote the value of archaeological collections care, management, conservation, and long-term preservation. The CIG will share and distribute resources related to these values such that those working in the field and the laboratory, or developing projects and project budgets, may make informed decisions about longterm curation.

Objectives

1. To encourage adoption of best practices by all archaeologists and other stakeholders as they make decisions about curation and collections management
2. To make available and disseminate information about curation best practices for all stakeholders involved in the process of archaeology (e.g., students, faculty, CRM archaeologists, government archaeologists and curators, descendent communities, etc.)
3. To encourage discussion among repository managers and staffs about common issues among repositories and for stakeholders, such as CRM firms and government archaeologists, who curate collections at those repositories
4. To promote the value of integrating curation, conservation, and collections management into undergraduate and graduate anthropology curricula
5. To advocate for collections-based research becoming part of every professional archaeologist’s toolkit, especially during undergraduate and graduate training
6. To bring together people with a common interest in archaeological curation

Activities

1. Sponsor sessions at the SAA Annual Meeting, as appropriate
2. Conduct an in-person business meeting at the SAA Annual Meeting
3. Develop and maintain dialogue between individuals concerned with current and future curation issues through a newsletter and/or social media platforms
4. Make curation and best practices resources available to all interested parties
5. Contribute white papers, SAA publications, journal articles, and other written works to the field and to SAA, as appropriate

 Selection and Rotation of a Chairperson

The CIG proposes the following procedure for selecting and rotating a chairperson and chairelect:

1. That the chairperson shall serve a 2-year term, beginning and ending at the SAA Annual Meeting.
2. That nominations be solicited 1-3 months prior to the next year’s Annual Meeting for chair-elect.
3. That a chair-elect be selected through majority vote at the next year’s Annual Meeting, allowing the chair-elect to overlap with the chairperson for a period of one year.
4. That the chair-elect assume the role of chairperson at the Annual Meeting the following year.
5. That no person shall serve two consecutive terms as chairperson, unless no nominated persons accept the duties and no alternative persons can be located.

The Digital Data Interest Group is organized to promote the preservation and sharing of archaeological data that are maintained in digital form. The long-term conservation and protection of the archaeological record demands not only that we preserve digital documents, images, and databases, but also that we make these information resources available to other scholars so that they may be effectively used to advance archaeological understandings of the past. The interest group will seek ways to foster the development of shared digital archives of archaeological data using software that can maximize their research value while securing the confidentiality of sensitive information, and ensuring that data sources are properly credited.

Objectives

1. Foster communication among researchers interested in sharing and preserving digital archaeological data.
2. Provide a forum to foster collaborations among initiatives concerned with sharing digital data and to encourage involvement in there efforts by a broader community of scholars.
3. Promote data sharing and preservation to the broader archaeological community.

Activities

1. Sponsor occasional forums and symposia at the SAA annual meeting.
2. An annual business meeting, held in conjunction with the SAA annual meeting, will provide an opportunity for members to share information and develop initiatives.

SAA Requirements

The interest group will disseminate information over the Internet and requests from SAA only calls for participation and link in SAAWeb link to a non-SAA server that will host the Interest Group. Beyond these needs, no expense to SAA is anticipated, no additional services are requested. The interest group does not request annual dues or operating expenses. The chair will be elected at each annual business meeting.

Statement of Purpose

The Fiber/Perishables Interest Group is concerned with the identification, analysis, and interpretation of archaeological materials manufactured from plant or animal fibers, the materials themselves, and artifacts that create or rely on fibrous elements. Such materials include cordage, nets, basketry, sandals, textiles, and other constructed interworked fibrous elements, as well as tools and objects closely associated with them. Although unevenly preserved in the archaeological record, fiber/perishable artifacts have the potential to significantly increase our understanding of technologies, stylistic behavior, and human relations. Because lack of experience with these fragile materials has often resulted in their inadvertent destruction, FPIG is also concerned with the issues of field recovery and preservation of perishable archaeological remains.  

Objectives

1. Foster communication among researchers in this small but growing area of study
2. Serve as a central forum for disseminating information about current research projects and methodological concerns
3. Members will function as a resource to the archaeological community at large by raising awareness of the goals, methods, and findings of fiber-perishables research

Activities

Every year FPIG sponsors a poster session at the SAA annual meeting, and we sponsor either a presentation symposium or an excursion at the SAA annual meeting on alternate years. The yearly FPIG business meeting is held in conjunction with the SAA annual meeting. Beyond the official agenda, this meeting provides an opportunity to socialize and network with fellow fiber aficionados. FPIG also sponsors online meetings open to all members, and we disseminate an online newsletter. FPIG aspires to provide information about and access to a broad spectrum of sources and activities related to archaeological perishables and artifacts that create or rely on constructed fibrous elements.

Newsletter Archives

All past and current newsletters are in the Fiber Perishables Interest Group's e-Community (see Resource Library). Members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Statement of Purpose

The goal of the Geoarchaeology Interest Group is to advance the science of geoarchaeology, ensure continued professional development of members within the group, and assist in educating future geoarchaeologists.

Objectives

• Regularly sponsor a symposium at the annual SAA meeting.
• Periodically sponsor a field trip at the annual SAA meeting. The trip will be organized by a committee.
• Periodically sponsor or organize a short course on some aspect of geoarchaeology at the annual SAA meeting. Such courses greatly enhance professional development. They revitalize research objectives, retrain professionals who may not have remained current with all aspects of the field, and provide training opportunities for students.
• Support or co-sponsor the publication of papers from its annual symposium in a collected format.
• Provide students with information on
  • undergraduate and graduate programs in geoarchaeology, and
  • funding opportunities for thesis and dissertation research.
• Although many universitites offer both archaeology and geology courses, few offer a coordinated, combined program. Yet most do have all the essentials for a geoarchaeology program, if simply the cross-links were emphasized. The geoarchaeology interest group will help students determine exactly what graduate and undergraduate courses are available in various universities that lead to some training in geoarchaeology.
• Establish ties with other archaeological and geological organizations, such as the American Quartenary Association and the Archaeological Geology Division of the Geological Society of America. We will explore the possibility of developing symposia, theme sessions, and/or short courses to be held to increased membership and activity within the Geoarchaeology Interest Group and the SAA.

Statement of Purpose

The Heritage Values Interest Group is concerned with how the past is valued in, and by, contemporary society. A principal objective is to advance understanding regarding the complex concept of heritage and its burgeoning and significant role in the current discipline and practice of archaeology. As such, it endeavors to provide an open forum for exchange and dialogue that acknowledges the multiplicity of the past in contemporaneous representations of material cultures and landscapes.

The Heritage Values Interest Group seeks to provide an environment for SAA members to explore the ways in which heritage is constructed and construed and to what extent that composition coheres with or contradicts value systems ingrained in diverse discourses, such as national paradigms, international standards, codes of ethics, management schemes, collective memory, and shared or dissonant identities. It therefore explores the multi-faceted meanings of the past, probes the ensuing derivation and ascription of value, and embraces international and interdisciplinary lines of inquiry.

Objectives

1. To promote the study and understanding of ‘heritage’ and ‘value’ within archaeology
2. To advance the concept of ‘heritage values’ as an integral component to the practice and discipline of archaeology in contemporary society
3. To provide an open and dynamic forum that not only fosters exchange, interaction, and collaboration among SAA members regarding the role of ‘heritage’ in archaeology but also offers an avenue for action on ‘heritage’ issues
4. To serve as a resource and point of contact for SAA members by enhancing communication, raising awareness, and facilitating the dissemination of information regarding ‘heritage’
5. To examine the practical concerns and theoretical underpinnings pertaining to the concept of heritage and to the manner in which value is derived and ascribed to the heritage of archaeology to gain a greater understanding of the breadth and scope of how ‘heritage values’ impact archaeology in order to be better equipped to implement public policy, spending, management schemes, educational curricula, training programs, among other projects
6. To encourage interdisciplinary and international engagement, debate, research and networks

Activities

1. Hold meetings and elections in conjunction with the SAA Annual Meeting.
2. Form an electronic network to enable communication among members between such yearly meetings.
3. Sponsor sessions, symposia, forums, workshops, or special events at SAA Annual Meetings.
4. Propose position and/or policy statements to the SAA Board.
5. Contribute articles, reports, updates, and other applicable news to be printed in SAA publications, such as The SAA Archaeological Record.

Newsletter Archives

All past newsletters are in the Interest Group's e-Community (see Resource Library). Members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Statement of Purpose

The Historical Ecology Interest Group aims to provide a space for archaeologists using historical ecological perspectives to network and collaborate. The group also aims to promote and increase awareness about the potential of historical ecology to address contemporary social and environmental issues.

Objectives

• To provide a space for networking and collaboration among the archaeologists who use historical ecology as a framework for their research.
• To allow for archaeologists of different methodological backgrounds to engage in discourse about historical ecology.
• To provide a more visible platform for the organization of sessions and other activities.
• To educate a broader range of SAA members about the field of historical ecology and its applications to archaeology.
• To encourage young professionals to interact and establish relationships with mentors in the field.
• To create and maintain a listserv and Facebook page to disseminate information about recent research, scholarships, graduate programs and any other information relevant to historical ecology.

Activities

• To sponsor a session at the annual meeting which allows for focus on more specific or shifting aspects of historical ecology.
• To sponsor social and networking events at the annual meeting.
• To periodically organize field trips.

Procedure for selecting and rotating a chairperson

We suggest annual elections of two co-chairs, with the new term starting at the time of the annual meeting.

Newsletter Archives

All past newsletters are in the Interest Group's e-Community (see Resource Library). SAA members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Archiving the Archaeologists Project

SAA's "Archiving the Archaeologists" series is an oral history project designed to capture personal insights and recollections of archaeologists near retirement or already retired. Archaeologists interviewed in the series reflect on their careers, how and why they became archaeologists, and their contributions to the discipline. This series not only archives the words and images of senior archaeologists, but it also provides other archaeologists, avocationalists, students, and the public insight into what it is like to be an archaeologist in a particular time and place. The interviews are available for all to view at the SAA YouTube channel.

Introduction
At the 66th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, a group of individuals interested in the relationships between archaeologists and Indigenous Populations met to discuss the formation of an Interest Group within Society for American Archaeology. This proposal addresses that desire to form that interest group.

The Proposal
This proposal is being submitted to the SAA Board in an attempt to establish an interest group within the Society for American Archaeology to discuss issues relating to the complex relationships between archaeologists and Indigenous populations throughout the World. It is hoped that the open discussion of problems and issues facing archaeologists and members of Indigenous populations will help alleviate many of the problems and misunderstandings that seem to lead to conflicts between these groups.

Areas of Interest and Concern
As stated before, the interest group will focus on problems that face archaeologists and Indigenous populations around the world. The proposed Interest Group would serve as a support group for those wishing improve the relationships between archaeologists and the Indigenous populations whose cultures and culture history we study.

Needs the Interest Group will Address
It is intended that the Interest Group will address the relative vacuum that exists within the major archaeological organizations concerning the relationships between archaeologists and Indigenous populations. The Interest Group hopes to work closely with the Committee on Native American Relations and the Native American Scholarships Committee within the SAA. However, even though these committees have made great strides in working to provide a voice concerning Native American issues, their orientation is geographically limited to issues relating to Indigenous populations within the United States and Canada. The proposed Interest Group hopes to provide a more global perspective on the relationships between archaeologists and Indigenous populations in the hopes of developing more discipline-wide answers for approaching those issues.
Services, Activities to be Delivered and the Resources Required to do so At this point in time, it is expected that the interest group will need merely a place to meet and discuss the issues involved in working with Indigenous populations and the manner that archaeologists can improve those relationships. Eventually, however, if the interest groups sees fit to develop a newsletter as a means of maintaining or improving communication between its members, a nominal fee to cover the production, mailing, and maintenance of the newsletter might be charged. At this time, however, no fee is being considered, and no budget is proposed.

A Procedure for Selecting (and Rotating) a Chairperson
Those attending the initial meeting of the Interest Group will elect a Chair and a ChairElect to serve for the first year. After the first year, the Chair-Elect will move into the Chair's position for a period of one year, and a new Chair-Elect elected. The positions will thereafter revolve from Chair-Elect (first year) to Chair (second year). Only one position will be elected each year -- that of Chair-Elect. In this manner, the leadership of the Interest Group will be relatively consistent and a modicum of "organizational memory" can be maintained. In the event the Chair must step down, the Chair-Elect will move forward to that position. If the Chair-Elect must step down, the Interest Group may elect a new Chair-Elect via email balloting, or the Chair (with the approval of a majority of the members of the Interest Group) may appoint a new Chair-Elect.

Statement of Purpose

The subject of island and coastal environments is being increasingly recognized as one of the most important areas of research in studies of world prehistory and archaeology. The continued interest shown by a variety of researchers worldwide – archaeologists, anthropologists, biologists, geographers, and environmental scientists – is indicative of the need for a venue to discuss issues of island colonization, the role that marine resources played in human history, the impacts people had on coastal and/or pristine environments, historical ecology, and the development of seafaring technology, to name a few.

The Island & Coastal Archaeology interest group is aimed at archaeologists and other scientists with interests in the techniques, methodologies, and theories used to investigate island and coastal regions. The interest group provides an international forum for archaeologists from different scientific backgrounds who share a common interest in studying islands, archipelagoes, and coastal regions across time and space. The goal of the interest group is to advance the field of island and coastal archaeology and facilitate the professional development and growth of scholars interested in questions related to the role that these environments played in human history.

Objectives

1. Serve as a mechanism for highlighting the importance that island and coastal environments have for understanding human cultural and biological development through time;
2. Provide a sounding board and a means to facilitate discussion among members who wish to pursue (or are currently pursuing) archaeological research in these environments;
3. Facilitate the development of collaborations among a diverse group of scholars across the social and natural sciences.

Activities

1. Regularly sponsor a symposium at the annual SAA meeting;
2. Periodically sponsor the publication of papers from the symposium in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology;
3. Periodically sponsor a field trip at the annual SAA meeting, if location is amenable;
4. Communicate with members of the interest group through an annual (or biannual) newsletter;
5. Provide students with information on undergraduate and graduate programs that focus on various aspects of island and coastal archaeology.

Newsletter and e-Community

All past and current newsletters are available at the Island & Coastal site. SAA members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Statement of purpose

The purpose of this Interest Group is to further our understanding of human behavior through the study of lithic technology. We believe that experiments, replication, ethnographic information, and ethnoarchaeology are important to help us extract relevant information from lithic debitage and end products of stone tool manufacture and utilization.

Needs the Interest group will address

We believe that, given the many theoretical orientations of the field and the availability of new analytical tools, exchanging ideas has become more important than ever. This Interest group seeks to provide an important contribution in this respect. 

Objectives

• To provide a space for networking and collaboration among archaeologists who believe in the importance of experimentation, replication, as well as the use of ethnographic and ethnoarchaeological information.  

• To foster new interpretations of the past via the dissemination of information regarding lithic technology.   

• To provide a space for common topics of discussions.

• To encourage young researchers and graduate students to interact with different researchers in the field. 

• To increase interaction between researchers interested in specific research topics working worldwide.

• To increase inclusiveness of the discipline.  

Activities the interest group will deliver and the resources required

• To hold discussions on different topics of interest to the members -either theoretical, methodological, or factual- in support of their research goals. Discussions will be held in person -at the SAA meeting-  or virtually. 

• To promote and sponsor workshops or symposia at the SAA meeting dealing with specific topics of critical interest. Moreover, the group will encourage hands-on discussion of artifacts. Information about discussion topics will be provided on the SAA Interest Group Web page, in accordance with the Society’s protocols. A room at the SAA meeting for holding the meetings will be needed. 

• To encourage researchers from different parts of the world who are interested in lithic technology and analysis to actively engage in the exchange of ideas. 

• To publicize and encourage participation in promoted symposia through different virtual and in- person means. 

• To disseminate information about lithic courses, seminars, discussions, conferences and recent publications dealing with the topic through the SAA Interest Group Web page.

• To disseminate information regarding grants, awards and job notices through the Interest group SAA Web page. 

Selecting and rotating Chairpersons

•  Chairpersons will rotate every two years.  

•  Members of the group can volunteer for these positions or be nominated by others. 

• They will be elected by a simple majority. 

Areas of Concern

The Department of Defense (DoD) is obligated under numerous federal laws to  function as steward and manager of three primary cultural resource areas: historic buildings preservation, tribal consultation, and archaeological resources. The DoD manages these resources across 26 million acres, which hold over 132,000 known archaeological sites. Additionally, Section 402 of the NHPA and the 2009 Ratification of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict obligates the DoD to develop protection and management plans for archaeological sites and other resources on military installations located outside the United States. The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) is the largest and most consistent venue for public and private industry archaeologists working on DoD lands to meet and share best practices to benefit all components (i.e., Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Space Force, National Guard, and Reserve Components).

Statement of Purpose

The Military Archaeological Resources Stewardship (MARS) Interest Group acts as a cohesive group within the SAA to bring together members of the SAA who have interest in archaeology on US military-managed properties and conduct cultural resource management (CRM) in support of US military missions. MARS provides said members with a forum to meet and discuss initiatives to identify, manage, and protect cultural and historic resources that may be impacted by military operations.

Objectives

The three main objectives of the MARS interest group are to provide a venue for information exchange, protect cultural resources, and to facilitate meaningful interactions with partners and stakeholders. MARS aims to:

Exchange Information

• Provide an open and dynamic forum for increased collaboration between DoD officials and the archaeological support community.
• Provide an open and dynamic forum that fosters exchange, interaction, collaboration, and development of best practices among archaeologists regarding the military’s compliance and stewardship obligations in support of military missions;
• Facilitate and disseminate information regarding policy changes that influence military archaeological resources management and stewardship;

Protect Cultural Resources

• Examine practical and innovative means of surveying, identifying, and protecting archaeological resources that may be impacted by military operations;
• Bring about actionable and beneficial recommendations to protect archaeological resources that may be impacted by military operations.

Engage with Partners and Stakeholders

• Provide support for consultation and relationship building with Indigenous and other descendant communities
• Encourage public engagement and outreach
• Nurture interdisciplinary and international engagement, debate, research, and network-building.

Activities

As a military archaeological stewardship community of practice, MARS will:

• Gather in conjunction with SAA Annual Meetings for interested SAA members to meet, network, develop initiatives, and exchange information on topics relevant to MARS's areas of concern;
• Sponsor sessions, symposia, forums, workshops, and/or special events at SAA Annual Meetings;
• Elect new officers at SAA Annual Meetings and through an electronic method;
• Submit annual reports of activities to the SAA Board of Directors;
• Maintain information on the SAA’s E-Communities website and network through electronic communications;
• Using established SAA protocol, work closely with SAA committees and leadership to represent the interests of the DoD CRM community, and the CRM community writ large.
• Contribute articles, reports, updates, and other applicable news to publications like The SAA Archaeological Record;
• Work with the SAA to develop communication platforms that are reliable, resilient, user-friendly, adaptable, and inclusive;
• Create stronger and more formal links to SAA’s Legislative/Government Affairs Committee, SAA’s Continuing Education and Training Initiatives, and SAA Publication Services;
• Collaborate formally with the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Partnerships in Preservation program to build relationships and engagement, build awareness of challenges faced by installations CRMs and problem solve those challenges, develop training opportunities for archaeologists, and provide access to experts on specialized topics and areas outside archaeology; and
• Establish more formal collaboration initiatives with the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association.

Board

OFFICERS

The board is made up of four officers that each serve for a two-year term: a Chair, a Chair-Elect, a Secretary/Treasurer, and a Secretary/Treasurer-Elect. Each year, the Chair and Secretary will vacate their positions and elected officials (the ‘Elect’) will move into those vacated roles.

A new election will take place every year to select new ‘Elect’ officers. The process will continue similarly into subsequent years, with Elect positions automatically becoming Chair and Secretary during the second year of those two-year terms.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Chair: implement MARS objectives, communicate with SAA staff and Board of Directors, comment on or propose SAA policy, organize an annual SAA session/forum/workshop/mixer or special event, host an annual business meeting at the SAA conference, and foster relationships with SAA Board of Directors, PiP, and external collaborators.

Chair-Elect: assist chair with vision planning and administration, submit annual report of activities to the SAA Board of Directors, facilitate annual SAA session/forum, serve as editor for any publications.

Secretary/Treasurer: send MARS communications to SAA staff for member distribution, record minutes of annual business meeting, post news on MARS e-community, prepare twice yearly newsletter, maintain books of MARS account, prepare annual budget and financial reports.

Secretary/Treasurer-Elect: assist Secretary/Treasurer.

ELECTION

Elections will take place each year at the annual MARS Business Meeting, in conjunction with the SAA Annual Meetings. There will be an electronic voting option for those not able to attend the meeting.

Finance

A MARS Interest Group membership will require a $5 fee to support opportunities to promote community, events, networking, or training.

MARS officers will serve voluntarily, and officers will look to MARS members to assist with associated events, meetings, and symposiums.

Decision Making

MARS Officers will meet as needed to make decisions and organize interest group activities. Changes to the group Statement of Interest, fee structure, or election system will be voted on at annual business meetings with an electronic voting option for those not attending the meeting. The MARS charter will be reviewed on a 5-year cycle.

Unique Areas of Interest and Concern

The Open Science Interest Group supports Open Science in archaeology. This means making archaeological methods, data and interpretations accessible to anyone, without financial or copyright barriers. These goals overlap with the Digital Data Interest Group and the Public Archaeology Interest Group, and the Open Science Interest Group will support and amplify the goals of those existing groups. The unique and specific aim of the Open Science group is to promote the reproducibility of published research through sharing of research products traditionally not included with publications, especially methods and data, so that these products (i) can be re-used and extended by other researchers, and (ii) demonstrate the correctness of published research. In this context, reproducibility refers to reproducing the computational and statistical methods and products of a research project. This is consistent with three of the goals of the SAA’s mission statement:

1. “SAA advances archaeological research and disseminates archaeological knowledge”

The group will support this goal by encouraging archaeologists to conduct research that is transparent, reusable and accessible without financial or copyright barriers. This group will educate archaeologists about options for using open source software and code sharing services, making data available at public repositories, publishing research in open access journals, and making publication pre-prints freely available on public repositories.

2. “SAA improves the practice of archaeology and promotes archaeological ethics”

The group will support this goal by increasing awareness of tools for exposing more of their research workflow for review by anyone. By promoting transparency and reproducibility in archaeological research this group will enhance the credibility of archaeological research by allowing more complete independent assessment of research findings than is possible with traditional peer review processes. The group will promote archaeological projects that are open to public contributions and involvement, and educate archaeologists on how to enable this practice. Open Science supports ethical research by enabling researchers to demonstrate responsibility for their work by exposing of more the research workflow to the public.

3. “SAA serves as a bond among archaeologists worldwide in all segments of the archaeological community”

This group will encourage and support archaeologists who are striving to practice Open Science principles in their research, teaching, outreach, and engagement with policymakers and managers.

Needs the Interest Group Will Address

Many disciplines closely related to archaeology have large communities that have adopted principles and practises of Open Science, and many archaeologists have already taken inspiration from biologists, ecologists, palaeontologists, etc. who practice Open Science. However, it can be challenging for isolated archaeologists to determine what principles and practises from other disciplines are most suitable and relevant to archaeology. The Open Science Interest Group will address this need for a reliable and efficient source of information on Open Science that is especially relevant to archaeologists. The group will be a community of archaeologists who are interested to learn about Open Science tools relevant to archaeology, share advice and information about resources and best practices, present a unified voice to influence institutions to adopt policies that favor Open Science, and recognize those who have made substantial contributions to the Open Science movement in archaeology. The group’s specific mission is to:

• Advance openness in the way archaeologists and institutions handle data, methods, and research outputs, especially in the context of policy making. This includes promoting the public availability and reusability of scientific data and methods, the reproducibility of scientific results, the public accessibility and transparency of scientific communication, and the use of web-based tools to facilitate scientific collaboration.
• Share information with people and institutions on how to develop open practices that enable reproducible research, and provide training with the necessary tools to optimise transparency in data collection and analyses.
• Advocate open and reproducible archaeological research, by increasing the visibility of people who have made substantial contributions to the Open Science movement in archaeology, and supporting related projects and activities.

Services and Activities

The Open Science Interest Group will:

• Publicize SAA conference sessions that promote the principles and practises of Open Science
• Advocate, develop and support programs to promote openness in archaeology, such as editorial kite-marking of journal articles to indicate the availability of open data (cf. the Open Science Framework’s badges to acknowledge open practices), as well as increased public involvement in archaeological activities, such as through crowdsourcing data collection and analysis
• Propose workshops and online seminars to educate, train and inform archaeologists on Open Science principles, practises and tools (eg. Software Carpentry and Data Carpentry workshops)
• Maintain online resources that provide information about Open Science in archaeology
• Recognise those who have made substantial contributions to the Open Science movement in archaeology.
• Contribute to related Open Science efforts such as the Digital Data Interest Group, the Public Archaeology Interest Group, the Working Group on Open Data in Archaeology, Oxford Archaeology’s Open Archaeology Software Suite, and ArcheOS, a GNU/Linux distribution built for archaeological purposes.

Selecting and Rotating A Chairperson

Any SAA member in good standing shall be eligible for nomination as a chairperson. Nominations can be made by any current member of the interest group. Nominees shall be elected by an e-mail vote of all interest group members, and will be held within one month of the SAA annual business meeting.

The Chairperson shall preside at the business meeting of the Group, and shall promote, in every reasonable way, the interests of the Group. The Chairperson shall serve for a term of two years and shall be eligible for re-election. The Chairperson shall represent the Group to the SAA shall appoint committees as required to promote the interests of the Group. Such committees shall serve until the next annual meeting of the Group and may be re-appointed at the discretion of the Chairperson. The Chairperson may provide an annual update of Group activities to members through a newsletter which may be published separately or in The SAA Archaeological Record.

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the Prehistoric Quarry and Early Mines Interest Group is to advance the study of non-industrialized mines, quarries and other forms of extraction sites. As such, the group is concerned with studying the archaeological and geological records of extractive technologies and their remnant manifestations in order to better understand the social, political and economic contexts in which they operated - from the cultural landscapes that quarries and mines have formed to the artifact assemblages associated with them. Unlike mobile and seasonal subsistence resources, mines are fixed on the landscape. Inter-generational knowledge can be assumed for all resources, but especially for mines and quarries in terms of geological, technical and geographical experiences that must have been passed down through the generations.

Like all archaeological sites, mines and quarries are nonrenewable resources in terms of our understanding of the prehistoric past. Mines and quarries, however, are unique in that their on-going use eradicates the record of what has gone before; often these sites (as opposed to other cultural resources) are treated as if they were renewable because of the nature of sites and because there is a lack of awareness of types and quantities of information that these sites represent. As development proceeds, the rate of destruction of prehistoric quarries and mines increases.

Objectives

1. Standardize nomenclature and terms as they relate to early quarries and mines.
2. Raise awareness of these non-renewable resources with the goal of improving the potential for preservation and recordation.
3. Provide a forum for specialists (especially across international and linguistic boundaries) for the exchange of ideas and for debate on current interpretive issues, conservation concerns, and formulation of broad research questions.
4. Encourage interdisciplinary quarry and mine research among archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, geologists and other communities in the natural and social sciences.
5. Develop ethical guidelines for the treatment of such sites.
6. Provide a holistic and humanistic research framework within which to treat this site type, moving beyond technical issues of procurement, production and quantification analyses to the social, economic and political aspects of quarries and mines.
7. Provide the archaeological community with suggestions for contextualization and treatment of these types of sites by providing expertise on methods of recordation and conservation through a variety of media. Develop written guidelines, specialized quarry registration forms, field visits or other appropriate responses.
8. Develop a database of prehistoric quarries and mines in order to study their distribution and to raise awareness toward increasing the measure of protection.

Activities

1. Sponsor SAA symposia at the annual SAA meeting on an annual or biennial basis.
2. Periodically sponsor field trips in conjunction with the annual meeting, if appropriate.
3. Publish its own newsletter to extend the forum of debate, which will be produced for group members but can be electronically circulated to the wider SAA membership upon request.
4. Form an e-mail discussion group, in which members may address the prehistoric quarry and early mines interest group at large (or its officers) with prehistoric quarry concerns.
5. Provide training workshops to other professionals and/or members of the public in order to increase interest, skills and awareness of prehistoric quarries and early mines in the larger cultural heritage community

Procedure for Selecting and Rotating a Chairperson

A chairperson should be elected on a bi-annual basis from nominations proposed and seconded by the group as a whole. Other officers would be similarly elected (i.e. publications officer/editor, treasurer if needed, outreach officer, etc.).

Newsletter Archives

All past newsletters are in the Interest Group's e-Community (see Resource Library). Members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Mission and Statement of Purpose

The Public Archaeology Interest Group will hold informal gatherings at SAA annual meetings in order for interested SAA members to meet, network, and exchange examples of their own public archaeology activities and resources. These gatherings will provide unique opportunities for all SAA members to interact with others engaged in public archaeology.

This informal group will not compete with the SAA's Public Education Committee, rather this is seen as a complementary group; members of the SAA-PEC may also wish to join this group to share ideas with others, and members of the interest group may wish at some time to join the PEC. This group's organizers do not foresee the undertaking of formal projects, publications, or research activities, such as are undertaken by the PEC. The Public Archaeology Interest Group's focus will be sufficiently broad to encompass the public archaeology interests of all those who work with the general public, tourists, avocational archaeologists, students and teachers as well as those who are required to meet the needs of compliance legislation or work in government or public institutions.

Activities

1. The Public Archaeology Interest Group will hold annual gatherings at the SAA Annual Meeting.
2. The group will submit an annual report of activities to the SAA Executive Committee.
3. The group will establish a means of networking through electronic communications.
4. The group will maintain a minimum roster of 25 SAA members.
5. The group will facilitate the use of electronic communications to share activities and other opportunities.
6. In the case that any of the below activities are undertaken by the Public Archaeology Interest Group, an effort will be made to coordinate such efforts with the SAA-PEC to accomplish mutual objectives.
7. The group may sponsor symposia, forums, workshops, or special events at the SAA Annual Meetings.
8. The group may propose positions and/or policy statements for consideration through the SAA website.
9. The group may propose to the Publication Committee special publications of interest to the members.

Elections and Rotations

A system of rotating chairs will be implemented. Candidates will be solicited by a call for nominations from the floor of the group's gathering at the society's annual meeting. Following open discussion, a general election by enrolled members of the interest group present at the gathering will be called. Through this process a Chair will be elected at each annual meeting, and a Chair-elect will be designated for the following year. In this manner, the position will rotate among interested members.

Finance

Statement of Purpose

Objectives

• To provide a forum open to all SAA members to discuss ongoing research and application of quantitative and computational methods using multiple platforms, computing languages and programs (including but not limited to: R, Python, Matlab, GIS, etc.).
• To develop a network of quantitatively and computationally oriented developers and users, members of SAA.
• Sponsor the creation of working groups for the development, testing, and discussion of new quantitative and statistical methods in archaeology.
• To provide a space to form synergistic collaborations between quantitative and computational methods developers and other SAA members.
• To afford SAA members with mentorship and direction on quantitative, statistical and computational methodology.
• To support young-professional members interested in growing as quantitative or computational methodologists throughout their career.
• To sponsor sessions, forums, symposia, workshops, and social and networking events during the annual SAA meeting.
• To disseminate announcements regarding grants, awards, job notices, and conferences via e-mail and social media.

Activities

• QUANTARCH will sponsor sessions, forums, symposia, workshops, and social and networking events during the annual SAA meeting.
• Specifically, QUANTARCH will sponsor “Hack-a-thons” (group coding sessions) and introductory workshops to various quantitative and computational methodology (e.g., R, Geometric Morphometrics) during the annual SAA.
• Interest group members will meet annually to discuss group related business. This includes election of group chair (or co-chairs) every two meetings.

e-Community

Members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Statement of Purpose

The Queer Archaeology Interest Group (QAIG) is a formal network for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, asexual, gender non-binary, gender nonconforming and other (LGBTQ2SIA+) archaeologists and allies to discuss research on sexualities and queer theory, as well as issues of gender presentation/identity, collegial/work relationships and pedagogical concerns of LGBTQ2SIA+ students.

Objectives

1. Facilitate greater involvement and visibility of LGBTQ2SIA+ archaeologists in the Society for American Archaeology, including in research, stewardship, public and professional education and the dissemination of knowledge about the past through publication, meetings, and public programming.

2. Promote contributions of past and present LGBTQ2SIA+ archaeologists, while also respecting their rights to privacy.

3. Whenever possible and appropriate, express solidarity with, and advocate for, other communities experiencing various forms of discrimination and/or marginalization. 

4. Develop a support network for, and improve communication among, LGBTQ2SIA+ archaeologists and their allies. This includes strengthening connections between junior and senior scholars, members who are familiar with navigating the specific challenges of being LGBTQ2SIA+ archaeologists with those who are not, and discussing how to support LGBTQ2SIA+ students, colleagues, and coworkers as allies.

5. Provide a forum for discussion of, and action on, professional issues of interest to LGBTQ2SIA+ members and allies, including, but not limited to

• a. successful entry into, and completion of, graduate programs;
  
• b. successful procurement of grants and awards;
  
• c. issues concerning academic hiring, tenure and promotion;
  
• d. issues concerning commercial, government and non-profit hiring and promotion;
  
• e. LGBTQ2SIA+ discrimination or harassment;
  
• f. creating a safe, supportive space for students and colleagues;
  
• g. navigating practical concerns of the LGBTQ2SIA+ community experienced when conducting field and laboratory research, as well as education and outreach activities;
  
• h. support the teaching of sexuality studies and LGBTQ2SIA+ issues in stand-alone classes, as well as better integration of sexuality studies and queer perspectives into introductory courses; and
  
• i. promote improvement of quality-of-work and quality-of-life issues of particular importance to LGBTQ2SIA+ professionals, scholars and students.
  

6. Confront habits of thinking and interpretation within the archaeological community that understand past systems of sex, gender and sexuality as necessarily identical to the predominantly binary, endosex, cisgender and heterosexual systems characteristic of mainstream Western culture. 

Activities

1. The Queer Archaeology Interest Group will hold an official Business Meeting at each SAA Annual Meeting.

2. The group will submit an annual report of its activities to the SAA Executive Committee.

3. Co-organizers (co-chairs) will periodically provide email updates to members on issues of relevance to the group. 

4. The group will maintain a minimum roster of 25 SAA members.

5. The group may sponsor symposia, forums, workshops, or special events at the SAA Annual Meeting.

6. The group may propose positions and/or policy statements to SAA leadership.

Elections and Rotations

The group is represented by two co-organizers (co-chairs), each of whom are elected (affirmed by the QAIG membership) to a two-year term; the co-organizer positions will be rotated. If need arises, other officers will be similarly elected.

The SAA Repatriation Interest Group will facilitate members’ sharing of their experiences, concerns, and information about repatriation. This group will address the need for greater understanding of repatriation and how it affects American archaeology. The interest group will gather at the annual meeting for face to face discussion. It is possible that the group will chose to sponsor a session from time to time.

The SAA Repatriation Interest Group will have no formal link to the SAA Committee on Repatriation. The members who have expressed a desire to form this interest group hope to have it serve as a meeting ground for all members to discuss experiences and share knowledge. It is hoped that by being open to all SAA members this interest group will promote greater understanding of repatriation as an issue. The group will not serve the same purpose as the Repatriation Committee in that it will not be charged with providing advice to the board.

Photos used with permission by Lenville J. Stelle

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Rock Art Interest Group is to support the development of rock art research within the SAA by:

1. Encouraging quality publications and field and analytical studies;
2. Fostering intellectual exchanges between professional researchers, students, site managers, and conservators;
3. Triggering the interest of students and other professionals in rock art research and management.

Our second goal is to stimulate discourse among all those, both avocational and professional, with an interest in rock art. We are all, in a fundamental sense, students of this most engaging form of material culture. Sharing affords opportunities for learning.

Lastly, we understand that most archaeologically documented rock art sites were or are places of religious significance. We respect the need for conversation regarding how best to ensure the proper interpretation and preservation of these sites.

Activities

SAA members interested in joining or learning more about RAIG are welcome to our yearly meeting held in conjunction with the SAA annual meeting. Check the Annual Meeting program for time and place.

Visiting Rock Art Sites

For those not professionally engaged in rock art studies and perhaps visiting a rock art site for the first time, the National Park Service outlines a common etiquette for visiting rock art sites. Learn how to respect and protect these fragile places.

Newsletters

All past and current newsletters are in the Interest Group's e-Community (see Resource Library). Members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

How to Join RAIG

Please note that RAIG membership is free to all current members of the SAA and the process for joining is very easy.

There are two pathways to membership in RAIG.

A. The first and easiest path is to check the box next to “Rock Art Interest Group” on the SAA annual dues payment form. When you submit your dues, you are a member of RAIG.

B. The second is for those SAA members who missed checking off the membership box when they were paying their dues. In this circumstance, simply email  membership@saa.org or call 1.202.559.7382 and ask to have RAIG added to your membership.

RAIG Organization

The members of the Rock Art Interest Group prefer a casual, informal structure. Organizational considerations are limited to the following:

1. The RAIG will convene an annual meeting in conjunction with the SAA’s yearly conference.

2. The business meeting will be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.

3. Those in attendance have the authority to enact policy for the Rock Art Interest Group by virtue of majority decision.

4. A Chair-elect will be selected at each annual meeting. Candidates will be solicited by a call for nominations from the floor. Candidates will be voted on by secret ballot. The Recording Secretary will be charged with responsibility for counting the ballots and reporting to the chair for announcement of the winner. The Chair-elect assumes the position of the Chair at the conclusion of the next annual meeting after training under the current Chair for their year in the elected position. .

5. Two other positions will be filled on the basis of a call for volunteers. These two positions are those of Recording Secretary and Web Manager.

6. RAIG will sponsor at least one symposium of appropriate theme for each annual conference.

7. The Chair will be responsible for the annual Interest group report to the SAA Board as well as email communications to the membership.

Rock Art Interest Group History

1997-2008: Dr. David Whitley, Chair 
2008-2013: Dr. Linea Sundstrom and Dr. Johannes (Jannie) Loubser, Co-Chairs
2013-2017: Lenville Stelle, Chair; 2017: Dr. Mavis Greer, Chair-Elect
2017-2018: Dr. Mavis Greer, Chair; Victoria Roberts, Chair-Elect
2018-2019: Victoria Roberts, Chair; Jerod Roberts, Chair-Elect

Statement of purpose 

The Southeast Asian Archaeology Interest Group’s aim is to provide an international forum for archaeologists and other scholars with a common interest in the archaeology of Southeast Asia. We consider the region of Southeast Asia to include countries in mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam), Island Southeast Asia (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, East Timor). We recognize that parts of southern China, Taiwan, and Near and Remote Oceania had long-standing interactions with Southeast Asia, and welcome scholars with research interests in these domains as well. The aim of our group is to advance the field of Southeast Asian Archaeology by providing an opportunity for scholars to share and promote research on this region, and encourage discussion and intra-regional collaboration, thereby facilitating the growth and development of scholars with an interest in Southeast Asia.

Services or activities

The Southeast Asian Archaeology Interest Group will:

• Publicize SAA conference sessions, papers, posters, workshops, and symposia related to Southeast Asian archaeology.
• Sponsor symposia, forums, workshops, or special events at the annual SAA meeting on topics related to Southeast Asian archaeology.
• Encourage Southeast Asian Archaeology Interest Group members to raise the profile of Southeast Asian archaeology through participation in general or multiregional sessions at the SAA meeting.  
• Assist with the dissemination of research and publications through the publication of a digital newsletter.
• Encourage networking through electronic communications, including publicizing conferences, workshops, scholarship/funding opportunities, and job opportunities.
• Provide a forum for discussion and debate on topics related to archaeological ethics and conservation of archaeological sites in Southeast Asia.
• Advocate for the conservation of Southeast Asian archaeological heritage
• Raise awareness about particular issues or concerns related to Southeast Asian Archaeology to the Board.
• Provide students with information on undergraduate and graduate programs that focus on various aspects of Southeast Asian archaeology, with an ultimate aim of increasing the number of scholars undertaking archaeological research on Southeast Asia.

Statement of Purpose

Teaching is the lifeblood of any discipline, including archaeology. Not only does it ensure the next generation of experts in the field, but it also helps to gaurantee the presence of informed and concerned citizens. As such, the Teaching Archaeology Interest Group (TAIG) focuses on teaching archaeology in Higher Education, whether in a traditional classroom, laboratory or field setting.

Objectives

TAIG will serve three main objectives. First, the group will allow members to share resources, advice, and ideas related to teaching archaeology in higher education. Second, TAIG members will foster discussions focused on pedagogical theory, method, praxis, and ethics as well as the ways in which pedagogy intersects with mentoring, research and engaged scholarship. Finally, TAIG seeks to promote inclusion of the Principles of Archaeological Ethics in archaeology courses and will encourage members to share strategies to fulfill this goal. The Teaching Archaeology Interest Group will not compete with the SAA’s Curriculum Committee or Public Education Committee. Rather, this is conceived of as a complimentary group focused specifically on the unique opportunities and challenges of teaching archaeology in higher education settings, including colleges, universities, and community colleges.

Activities

1. TAIG will organize and promote at least one event at the SAA Annual Meeting to allow members to meet, network, exchange teaching resources and foster

2. The group will develop and maintain a web-based resource sharing system (content will be provided by TAIG ready to post on the SAA website on TAIG’s page). This will allow TAIG members to share syllabi, course materials, suggestions for media materials, and other resources useful for teaching archaeology courses in higher education. 

3. The group will submit an annual report of activities to the SAA Executive Committee. 

4. The group will maintain a minimum roster of 25 members.

Newsletter Archives

All past and current newsletters are in the Interest Group's e-Community (see Resource Library). Members can access any e-Communities to the Interest Groups they have joined.

Statement of Purpose

The Women in Archaeology Interest Group will function as a formal network of SAA members who are interested in a broad range of professional research, and scholarly issues of concern to women archaeologists.

Objectives

1. Foster the involvement of women in all activities promoted by the Society for American Archaeology, including research, stewardship, public and professional education, and the dissemination of knowledge about ancient societies and cultures through publication, meetings, and public programming.
2. Improve contacts among women archaeologists. This includes facilitating contacts between junior and senior scholars and augmenting the mentoring of female graduate students.
3. Provide a broader forum for the discussion of and action on issues of interest to COSWA, women in archaeology, and archaeologists interested in gender studies. These issues include, but are not limited to:
   • successful entry into and completion of graduate programs
   • successful procurement of grants and awards
   • gender equity in hiring, tenure, promotion, and salary decisions
   • workplace "climate" issues, including gender-based harassment and discrimination
   • support for the teaching of gender and feminist issues in stand-alone courses as well as the integration of gendered and feminist perspectives into general introductory, method & theory, and culture-history courses
4. Promote improvement in quality-of-work and quality-of-life issues of particular importance to women professionals and women graduate students.

Statement of Purpose

The Zooarchaeology Interest Group (ZIG) is one of ten interest groups offered to SAA members. ZIG focuses primarily on disseminating information and fostering a community in which members interested in zooarchaeology and related disciplines can participate. Regardless of academic or professional standing (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate, Professor, RPA, etc.), all members are invited to partake and network.

Objectives

1. To promote the study, understanding, and importance of zooarchaeology and its numerous sub-disciplines.
2. To intellectually discuss active research projects, publications, and scholarly issues.
3. To support young-professional members by providing mentors and guidance throughout their career.
4. To provide an open space and access for members to synergize new zooarchaeological methods, technologies, databases, and ideas.
5. To serve as a voice and point of contact for SAA members in order to increase communication and awareness of current news and announcements.
6. To integrate numerous disciplines beyond zooarchaeology with the intention of advocating transdisciplinary research.
7. To sponsor sessions, forums, symposia, workshops, and social and networking events during the annual SAA meeting.
8. To collaborate with other zooarchaeology group such as the International Council for Archaeozoology (ICAZ), the Worked Bone Research Group (WBRG), Taphonomy Working Group (TWG), Stable Isotopes in Zooarchaeology Working Group (SIZWG), and other active working groups.
9. To disseminate announcements regarding grants, awards, job notices, and conferences via E-mail, Facebook, the Zooarch Listserv, and related media.
10. To include professional archaeologists, museum curators, and public interest as well as academics in ZIG related activities and discussions

Activities

ZIG sponsored a symposium entitled In the Service of a Greater Good: Broader Applications of Zooarchaeology in the Era of Interdisciplinary Research at the 2018 Annual Meeting. This session looks at applying zooarchaeology to address archaeological and anthropological questions beyond those focused on animal behavior and human-animal interactions in the past. 

Abstract In the pursuit of studying animal behavior and human-animal interactions in the past, zooarchaeologists have developed and refined a range of analytical and methodological techniques intended to extract meaning from animal remains found in archaeological sites. Zooarchaeology, however, is only one in a range of possible avenues of research into the past. Ironically, in the era of inter-disciplinary research, methodological and epistemological advances made by various archaeological sub-disciplines, including zooarchaeology, are rarely combined and discussed collectively, as specialists overwhelmingly interact with peers in their own sub-disciplines. In this session, we place zooarchaeology at the center of our anthropological and archaeological milieu to examine how zooarchaeological techniques and approaches can be made relevant beyond more immediate reconstructions of human-animal interactions. In this session, we will discuss zooarchaeology not as an end unto itself, but as the means to reach a greater end. Several issues to consider include, but are not limited to:
1.    Combining and reconciling zooarchaeological approaches with other archaeological sub-disciplines and their methodologies to produce more holistic and compelling narratives of the past. 2.    Deploying zooarchaeological analyses as independent tests of inferences made based on other lines of evidence like ceramics, lithics, metals, architecture, botanical remains, stable isotopes, etc. 3.    Using our understanding of human-animal interactions and behavioral and physiological characteristics of various animal species as the basis of investigations into settlement patterns, site occupation intensities, and patterns of mobility and migration. 4.    Using taphonomic studies of animal remains to assess greater site formation processes.

SAA Requirements

Facebook

The Zooarchaeology Interest Group has an active and engaging Facebook group page that is open to the public. This page is intended as a forum for archaeologists interested in all aspects of zooarchaeology and bone technology. News items and stories shared to the page should be specific to zooarchaeology in content and be of interest to members of this group. We also encourage the sharing of zooarchaeology-specific jobs, upcoming conferences, publications, and other news.

The Society for American Archaeology (“SAA”) encourages all of its members to participate in public discussions through social networking. At the same time, SAA expects that its members will make statements that are in the best interests of SAA and will not engage in any inappropriate statements or statements which would be detrimental to SAA as a whole. SAA retains the right, under its bylaws and policies, to take disciplinary actions against any member it determines is acting contrary to SAA’s interests.

While many of the individuals participating in this group are members of the Society for American Archaeology, the statements, views and opinions of individuals in this group are their own and are not those of SAA. As such, participants in this group acknowledge and agree that SAA shall not be responsible for any statements, content or other communication posted or disseminated through this group.

Finances

The Zooarchaeology Interest Group does not offer fellowships, grants, or awards. We, however, encourage eligible members to apply for the SAA sponsored Dienje Kenyon Memorial Fellowship.