Crow, Northern Cheyenne Earn Archaeological Credentials

This is the only picture I have of a Monitor we had in Washington State in 2008. He stood around mostly but liked telling interesting stories. He was a good guy. (c) 2008 Chris WebsterThe link is to an article in the Billings Gazette posted on August 15, 2011. I'm glad to see Native Americans taking an interest in their heritage with a scientific viewpoint. I've worked with monitors before and they come in all different types. Sometimes they stand next to your unit and don't say a word. Occaisionally one has commented on an artifact or a feature but they usually want to know what we think it is. Then they say we are wrong. I've also worked with monitors that are interested in the science behind what we are doing but didn't have the education and training to really understand it.

The more we work with trained Native Americans the better it will be for both of us. We will be able to work with them and include them as a part of our team. At the same time they can work along side us while telling us of their history from their own point of view. I think that it is a worth while partnership that can only result in happy parties on both sides.

Written in Sparks, Nevada

From the Dictionary of Archaeology, Peguin Reference, 2004, an entry chosen using a random number generator Pg 188, entry 1:

Grid a systematic array of perpendicular lines used as a frame of locational reference on an archaeological site. Elements of the grid are usually assigned some value of distance and direction with reference to a local or regoinal datum. Excavation units, recovered debris and other field observations are recorded and sometimes planned with reference to the grid. Grids are usually aligned with respect to the primary compass directions, but it is often advantageous to align them with respect either to the expected site structure, or to the primary depositional slope of the landform the site is situated upon.