---
title: O.C.G.A. § 12-3-53. State archeologist.
collection: code
id: 12-3-53
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 12-3-53 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-53
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-53.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3-53/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t12-(v10)-2021-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=67595359_0#page=96
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/12-3.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES / PARKS, HISTORIC AREAS, MEMORIALS, AND RECREATION / HISTORIC AREAS / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 12-3-53. State archeologist.

In order to implement the protective and research policies as outlined in Code Section 12-3-52, the department will appoint a state archeologist whose duties will be:

(1) To direct, coordinate, and otherwise engage in fundamental archeological research on state lands containing sites or objects of archeological significance and to advise the commissioner of natural resources in permitting or entering into contractual agreements with recognized scientific institutions or qualified individuals to do the same;

(2) To cooperate with other agencies of the state which have authority in areas where sites are located;

(3) To conduct a survey of important archeological sites located on state land and, upon request, to survey and officially to recognize significant archeological sites on privately owned land, thereby encouraging the owner to cooperate with the state to preserve the site;

(4) To conduct salvage archeology through data recovery on state sites threatened with destruction;

(5) To protect, preserve, display, or store objects of archeological significance discovered by field archeology at state sites or discovered during the course of any construction or demolition work;

(6) To establish training programs, either independently or in conjunction with institutions of higher learning, in order to disseminate knowledge concerning archeology and its related disciplines; and

(7) To encourage the dissemination of archeological facts through the print or electronic publication of reports of archeological research conducted by the department.

## History

Ga. L. 1969, p. 993, § 2; Ga. L. 1985, p. 906, § 2; Ga. L. 2010, p. 838, § 11/SB 388.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1992, a comma was deleted following ‘‘archeologist’’ in the introductory language, and a comma was deleted following ‘‘significance’’ in paragraph (1).