We often view history as a series of grand events, but real historical understanding is built on the meticulous recording of soil color, vegetation density, and the exact spatial coordinates of a single artifact. A site that is not recorded with professional rigor is a site that is effectively lost to science.
The Art of Site Recording
The "Field Site Form" is designed for the professional archaeologist or geologist working within the strict documentation standards of the BLM and state agencies. It moves site recording from a subjective description to a forensic data entry process. By standardizing the capture of Project Name, Recorded By, and Crew details, it creates a chain of custody for the data that is as robust as the artifacts themselves.
Taxonomy of the Landscape
The structure of this library is built to capture the environmental context that defines a site’s archaeological or geological potential.
- Geospatial Anchors: Fields for Datum Easting, Datum Northing, and the specific Quad Map ensure that the site can be relocated with sub-meter precision. This is the foundation of any long-term cultural resource management plan.
- Environmental Stratigraphy: With multichoice fields for Primary Landform, Depositional Context, and Vegetation Community, you build a multi-layered profile of the landscape. Knowing that a site is on a "Fan" with "Big Sagebrush" provides immediate clues about the historical availability of water and resources.
- Cultural Classification: The Site Class field allows you to immediately distinguish between Prehistoric, Historic, or Multi-Component sites, triggering different recording protocols.
Narrative Stratigraphy
Beyond the technical checkboxes, the template provides structured space for deep qualitative analysis. The Previously Recorded Site Statement and the various Narrative fields (Prehistoric and Historic) allow the crew chief to synthesize the evidence into a coherent story. These aren't just "notes"; they are the primary source material for the final report and Eligibility Comments for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
Power Feature: Integrated Geospatial Data
The integration of Memento’s numerical fields for coordinate data, combined with the County and BLM District dropdowns, allows for high-speed spatial filtering. Back in the office, you can instantly group your library by BLM Field Office to identify gaps in regional surveys or cluster sites for statistical analysis. It transforms individual field observations into a dynamic regional database, ensuring that the work performed in the dust leads to lasting scholarly insight.