Ethics

The American Rock Art Research Association subscribes to the following Code of Ethics and enjoins its members, as a condition of membership, to abide by the standards of conduct stated herein.

1. All local, state, and national antiquities laws will be strictly adhered to by the membership of ARARA. Rock art research shall be subject to appropriate regulations and property access requirements.

2. All rock art recording shall be nondestructive with regard to the rock art itself and the associated archaeological remains which may be present. No artifacts shall be collected unless the work is done as part of a legally constituted program of archaeological survey or excavation.

3. No excavation shall be conducted unless the work is one as part of a legally constituted excavation project. Removal of soil shall not be undertaken for the sole purpose of exposing subsurface rock art.

4. Potentially destructive recording and research procedures shall be undertaken only after careful consideration of any potential damage to the rock art site.

5. Using the name of the American Rock Art Research Association, the initials of ARARA, and/or the logos adopted by the Association and the identification of an individual as a member of ARARA are allowed only in conjunction with rock art projects undertaken in full accordance with accepted professional archeological standards. The name ARARA may not be used for commercial purposes. While members may use their affiliation with ARARA for identification purposes, research projects may not be represented as having the sponsorship of ARARA without express approval of the Executive Committee.

The ARARA Code of Ethics, points 1 through 5, was adopted at the annual business meeting on May 24,1987. The Code of Ethics was amended with the addition of the opening paragraph at the annual business meeting, May 28, 1988.