National-Scale Cultural Resource Legislation

Abstract

This chapter discusses the on-the-ground realities of cultural resource management (CRM) and preservation: how the realities of work undertaken through such policies, principles and laws relate to the larger visions of those in charge of the legislation that require such work. Considering the history and development of cultural resource management in UK and USA in particular, the authors discuss which aspects of cultural resource management regulations “work”, and in turn, which aspects of the system are less successful. The authors also make suggestions for possible reforms to the current system, both practical reforms “on the ground” as well as higher-level conceptual changes. What is clear is that while the intent of those who enacted respective preservation laws in UK and USA was noble, the public interest has not been well served in either country, and that a lack of public appreciation for and outright ignorance of what archaeology is undermines the practice of archaeology that is conducted in the “public” name.