Indiana Jones: Myth, Reality And 21st Century Archaeology

The progressive decline in funding has reached epidemic proportions in North American archaeology. However, this decline is almost inversely proportional to the expanded role of applied archaeology and the concomitant acceleration of private sector influence. One of the most striking trends in this regard is the recognition that “scientific archaeology” goes hand in hand with cost-efficient management of cultural resources. The largest budgets and advanced research technologies in today’s archaeology are furnished by pipeline construction. Collaborative efforts between oil and gas engineers and Cultural Resource Management (CRM) professionals has resulted in quantum leaps in the discovery and understanding of the archaeological record. In today’s episode prominent consulting archaeologist Dr. Chris Bergman, a veteran private-sector consultant, evaluates the pivotal roles that pipeline distribution roles are playing to enhance our understanding of North American history and prehistory.