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Sites and Site Forms

Site forms are the basic document of record for archaeological sites throughout Louisiana. In general, archaeological sites are defined as a collection of at least five artifacts and/or a feature 50 or more years old.

The Division has three different types of forms: Site Record, Site Update, and Supplemental. Site Record Forms should be used to record a newly discovered archaeological site. Site Update Forms and Supplemental Forms are used to update previously recorded sites. However, the Site Update Form should be used when the recorder has actually stepped foot on the site, regardless of investigation methods. Supplemental Forms may be used for adding additional information to the Site Files such as landowner changes, recently received radiocarbon dates, analysis of a private collection, etc.

Upon completion of a field project, the draft site forms (for both newly reported and previously reported sites) are submitted to the Division. The Division will issue site numbers for all new sites within 5 days. Batches of 20 or more site forms may take longer to receive site numbers. The state site numbers are required for the discussion of all sites within a project area in management summaries, draft reports and final reports. Written comments on the draft site forms will be provided within 45 days of submission. Revised forms should be submitted within 45 days of receiving comments from our office. If the archaeologist/company does not return revised site forms to the Division by the specified time limit, the Division will not assign any new site numbers to that company.

Please contact Cheraki Williams to learn more about archaeological sites, site forms, the site form process, and to get blank forms and instructions on completing them.

The Division of Archaeology has changed the site form! The new site form should help the process move a little more smoothly. We did take comments from contractors, federal agencies, and other professional archaeologists into account when redesigning the form. We hope you share our excitement about this new and improved form!

We have also revised the LACAD and created a Checklist for the site forms. The Checklist has two parts: a Required section and a Requested section. Those things listed on the Required section must be filled out in order for our office to assign a site number to the form. This is a big change from how our office has assigned site numbers in the past.

We have only posted the new set of forms to avoid confusion. We are still working on creating a set of Instructions for filling out the form. Those Instructions will be available on the website as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you have questions on how to fill out the forms, please contact us.

Please begin using these new forms as soon as possible. As of July 1, 2010, all new sites and new updates submitted to our office must be on the new forms. We will not accept previous versions of the site form after July 1, 2010. However, revisions to forms submitted prior to July 1, 2010 should still be on the previous site form.

Site Forms:

Site Record Form

Site Record Update Form

LACAD(required for both new forms and updates): Word or PDF

Checklist