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ABOUT
The Idaho Archaeological Society is dedicated to understanding the past residents of Idaho with the hope that it will be relevant to the past and future.
Purpose of the Idaho Archaeological Society
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To unite those interested in the archaeology of Idaho.
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To promote cooperation between professional and amateur archaeologists.
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To promote the systematic study of prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in Idaho.
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To promote public education and professional scholarship relating to Idaho archaeology.
Archaeology is the scientific study of the human past through its remains. As an environmental science that explores past human-environmental interactions, it is uniquely positioned to study long-term culture change. As such, the discipline not only provides a history of the past, but also a link to contemporary issues of climate change, global warming, and resource sustainability.
Organization Officers, Committees, and Bylaws
To view information about current IAS Officers, the Society's Committees, and the organization's bylaws, please click on the buttons below:
Code of Ethics
It is essential that members of the IAS observe the provisions of Federal and State Antiquities Acts, as well as uphold the purposes and intent of those laws and of the goals of the society.
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Each member is a personal envoy of the IAS and is responsible for conducting himself/herself in a manner as to protect the integrity of the society.
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Members of the society should comply with all Federal, State, and Local laws relating to archaeological and historical sites and the preservation of antiquities.
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Conviction under the provisions of Federal or State antiquity laws shall be deemed just cause for the revocation of membership or reprimand by the President as directed by the Board of Directors of the Society in accordance with Title 30, Chapter 3, Sec. 42, Idaho Nonprrofit Corporation Act or the corresponding provisions of any future act.
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Members of the society support policies and educational programs designed to protect our cultural heritage and State's antiquities.
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Members of IAS will respect the dignity of peoples whose cultural histories are the subject of any investigation.
Nonprofit Statement
The IAS is an Idaho nonprofit corporation. It has tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its tax identification number is 82-0296691. Contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by current tax rules.
Archaeology in Idaho
For centuries, thousands of Idaho’s earliest inhabitants hunted and gathered to exist. The remains they left are often in the form of projectile points, knives, scrapers, and other stone tools. More recently, explorers, trappers and miners left their mark on Idaho’s landscape.
What can we learn about the lives of past peoples by the artifacts they left behind? Where did they live, hunt, and fish? What was their environment like? How did they earn a living? If you are interested in these and similar questions, you definitely have an interest in Idaho archaeology.
The Idaho Archaeological Society is dedicated to understanding the past residents of Idaho with the hope that it will be relevant to the present and future.
The Need to Protect
The IAS is concerned with the increasing destruction of the archaeological record. People who don’t know what they are doing often do this destruction.
All people have left evidence of their passage. Because artifacts exist in the context in which they are created, they tell a story of how a people lived. Once an artifact is taken from context or a feature is damaged, that knowledge is lost to all of us. An archaeologist is trained to interpret context by examining clues like a detective. Pollen, pottery, insects, soil contents, artifacts and the layers above and below the site are carefully recorded and studied for their contribution to the story the site tells. If you find a site or an artifact, please, leave it in place and report it to authorities.
Programs
The Idaho Archaeological Society (IAS), founded in 1971, achieves its objective through a series of programs. The society is a statewide organization providing a range of programming that includes lectures, seminars, museum visits, and field trips, among other events to its membership and interested parties. In addition, the society hosts an annual conference where Idaho archaeologists present the results of their recent research and supports several publications: a professional journal, the Idaho Archaeologist, and Artifacts, the newsletter of the IAS.
Partnerships
An important aspect of IAS is our commitment to creating collaborative partnerships with other organizations dedicated to similar missions as that of IAS. By supporting one another we expand and strengthen our ability to protect Idaho's heritage for future generations.
