The Georgia Archaeological Site File, founded in 1976, is maintained at the University of Georgia in Athens. It is the primary source for data about Georgia archaeology, and includes considerable data on Georgia’s archaeological sites. The GASF also houses thousands of Cultural Resource Management reports (their abstracts are available on the web) and over 500 manuscripts.
https://archaeology.uga.edu/gasf
Archaeological sites recorded in the Georgia Archaeological Site Files are included in Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources GIS database (GNAHRGIS), a web-based registry and geographical information system designed to catalog information about the natural, archaeological, and historic resources of Georgia. Â GNAHRGIS is a collaborative effort between The Georgia Archaeological Site Files, Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
https://www.gnahrgis.org/gnahrgis/index.do
The Historic Preservation Division is Georgia’s state historic preservation office, or SHPO. Previously a division of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), it is now part of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). HPD works to preserve the archaeological, historical, and architectural heritage and resources of Georgia in partnership with the US Department of the Interior and local communities to carry out the mandates of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended).
https://www.dca.ga.gov/georgia-historic-preservation-division
The Office of the State Archaeologist, formerly housed in HPD, is now located within the State Parks and Historic Sites division of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) As dictated in Official Code of Georgia Annotated Sections 12-3-52, 12-3-80, and others, the Office of the State Archaeologist has several duties including issuing permits for archaeological research on State owned lands and helping to coordinate the final resting place for burials that have been inadvertently disturbed.
https://gastateparks.org/Archaeology
According to their website, The Register of Professional Archaeologists is “is a listing of archaeologists who have agreed to abide by an explicit code of conduct and standards of research performance, who hold a graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, art history, classics, history, or another germane discipline and who have substantial practical experience.” They are an organization much like the GCPA, only operating at a national scale in the United States. Their Code of Conduct and Standards of Research Performance are important documents and similar to those found on the GCPA website.
The Society for American Archaeology is an international organization with more than 6000 members, including avocational and professional archaeologists, and lots of students. SAA was founded in 1934 and is dedicated to the research, interpretation, and protection of the archaeological heritage of the Americas. SAA encourages public access to and appreciation of archaeology, and opposes all looting of sites and the purchase and sale of looted archaeological materials.
Georgia’s State Parks and Historic Sites are scattered throughout the state and offer such a variety of locales there should be something of interest for everyone. Among the most famous are the Etowah Mounds, about an hour north of Atlanta near Cartersville, the Kolomoki Mounds in extreme southwest Georgia, the Little White House in Warm Springs used by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the Hofwyl-Broadfield rice plantation between Darien and Brunswick on the Altamaha River.
The American Cultural Resources Association‘s mission is to promote the professional, ethical and business practices of the cultural resources industry. Their site features a list of around 100 CRM firms with addresses, website links, e-mail addresses, most of whom need archaeologists from time to time.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, chartered by the US Congress in 1949, is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. It fights to save historic buildings and the neighborhoods and landscapes they anchor through education and advocacy. The NTHP has 20 historic sites including Drayton Hall Plantation on the Ashley River upstream from Charleston, SC. The National Trust has no properties in Georgia.
The Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse is a national organization that provides information, advice, and referrals on issues related to sprawl and smart growth. The Clearinghouse helps advocates, grassroots organizations, policymakers, planners, public officials, and others reduce urban sprawl and revitalize existing communities.
Check out The Georgia Conservancy! This organization seeks to protect the environment in Georgia while balancing the demands of social and economic progress. They do considerable education, including of local leaders, and public outreach, to protect Georgia’s water, air and natural areas.
The Trust for Public Land is the only national nonprofit organization working exclusively to protect land for human enjoyment and well-being. TPL helps conserve land, and when the TPL gets property set aside, the archaeological sites on it are also protected.
The Anthropology Department of the University of Georgia offers a variety of archaeology classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and both an undergraduate degree and a PhD in anthropology. The Department offers an annual field summer school at various locations. Archaeological specialties include cultural evolution, ethnohistoric and prehistoric time periods, archaeological geology and zooarchaeology. Geographic specialties are biased toward the New World, especially Georgia (including Coastal Georgia, the Piedmont, and the mountains) and the greater Southeast, as well as Mesoamerica.
The National Archaeological Database (NADB, pronounced nad-bee), sponsored by the National Park Service and established to meet a congressional directive, offers three main resources: a bibliographic inventory of approximately 240,000 reports on archaeological planning and investigation last updated in November 1997; the full text of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA); and NADB-MAPS, a graphical application containing various maps (GIS) showing national distributions of cultural and environmental resources.
http://www.nps.gov/archeology/tools/nadb.htm
Internet Archaeology is an electronic archaeological journal published in Britain. IA publishes the results of archaeological research, including the data on which the conclusions are based. IA publishes excavation reports, analyses of large data sets, visualizations, programs used to analyze data, and applications of information technology.
The Southeastern Archaeological Conference was founded in the late 1930s in response to the tremendous increase in federally-funded archaeological projects in the Southeast. SEAC began publishing its biannual journal Southeastern Archaeology, in 1982. SEAC’s membership is now about 1000 and attendance at it’s annual meeting, which rotates around the Southeast, typically exceeds 400.
http://www.southeasternarchaeology.org/
Members of the Society for Georgia Archaeology are interested in preservation of archaeological and historic sites of all kinds (including submerged cultural resources), public education, and research in archaeology in Georgia. SGA has local chapters across the state. SGA meets biannually; the spring meeting is in conjunction with Georgia Archaeology Week and the fall meeting often includes a field trip. SGA publishes two issues of its journal, Early Georgia, each year, and a quarterly newsletter. SGA also produces a poster, which is distributed not only to members, but to schools throughout the state, to publicize Georgia Archaeology Week.
http://www.georgia-archaeology.org/SGA/
The Southeast Archaeological Center of the National Park Service maintains a web site that summarizes the prehistory and history of the Southeastern US, with reference to National Parks in the Southeast. The Center supports the National Parks, and helps them fulfil the requirements of federal laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines for the protection of archaeological resources. The mission of the Center is to facilitate long-term protection, use, and appreciation of archeological resources in the southeastern USA and beyond.
The American Museum of Natural History in New York City has been a center for education, exploration, and research since 1869. Its archaeological publications and collections are substantial.
The Nature Conservancy is a national organization relies heavily on conservation science to protect plants, animals, and ecological communities that represent the diversity of life on our plant. Its programs encompass the biological, ecological, and technological knowledge necessary to identify and protect at-risk biodiversity, as well as the management methods used to ensure its survival. These goals overlap with archaeological goals of preservation of sites and landscapes. The Nature Conservancy has a state-wide chapter in Georgia.
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, with nearly 9000 members, is the largest non-profit preservation organization in Georgia. Committed to preserving and enhancing Georgia’s communities and their diverse historic resources for the education and enjoyment of all, the Georgia Trust operates three historic houses, markets endangered properties through its Revolving Fund, provides design assistance to 41 Georgia Main Street communities, connects Georgia’s educators and students with their local historic resources, and advocates for funding and laws aiding preservation efforts.