Historical Sites and the Construction Engineer

Archaeologists and paleontologists have gathered an overpowering amount of evidence to show that modern methods of construction, both in the field of highways and in that of architectural structures, have contributed in a decisive manner to the wiping out of our archaeological and paleontological past. The destruction of archaeological and paleontological sites is due in great part to ignorance and, in some cases, to greed, but can certainly be avoided through a combination of education and law enforcement. On the basis of the evidence gathered by archaeologists and paleontologists, the writer presents a case for the responsibility of the civil engineer in regard to our prehistorical past and suggests action by the members of ASCE, which will help the rapidly deteriorating situation in site preservation.